Donald Duke: Nigeria’s Population Tripled Without Economic Expansion Since Shagari Era
• Says Nigeria still operating with equivalent of Shagari-era $25bn budget •Questions economic justification, timing of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Sunday Ehigiator Former Cross River State governor and presidential candidate of
Former Cross River State governor and presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Donald Duke, has highlighted Nigeria's persistent economic challenges, asserting that the country's economy has not expanded since the Second Republic. Duke noted that Nigeria is still operating under a budget comparable to the $25 billion spent by the Shagari administration in the 1970s, despite a fourfold increase in the population from roughly 76 million to 230 million over the past four decades.
Duke underscored that despite this population growth, government spending has remained stagnant, leading to a shrinkage in the economy. He attributed the country's economic stagnation to a failure in addressing productivity over the decades, which has contributed to widespread poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Duke questioned the economic rationale behind the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, emphasizing that the government should prioritize interventions with immediate economic and social benefits.
He further criticized the allocation of resources towards constructing a road from Lagos to Calabar, highlighting that such expenditures should be directed towards projects that yield tangible economic gains. Duke emphasized that the government's primary responsibility is to foster citizen productivity within a secure and orderly environment, advocating for investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure that directly contribute to economic growth.
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