Aregbesola sees opportunities in financial challenges

Femi Makinde, Osogbo

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said the current financial crisis facing the nation has abundance of opportunities embedded in it.

The governor said this in a New Year message broadcast in Osogbo on Friday. A copy of the message was made available to our correspondent by the governor’s media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

He urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture and skill acquisition instead of searching for very limited job opportunities in government establishments.

The governor accused the past Peoples Democratic Party government of corruption, which he said caused the economic crisis.

Aregbesola said, “Every challenge brings its own opportunities and fresh opportunities are waiting to be tapped in the present economic challenges. What is only required is that people should reach into their natural God-given ingenuity and endowments in order to survive the period.

“The Federal Government has spoken with some assurances on the challenges facing the nation. I am assuring you that solutions are being sought to the nation’s financial problems and effort is being made to cushion the effect, one of which was loans provided for states last year to offset the backlog of salary arrears.

“We must support them in our own way by working hard, create wealth and adding value to the commonwealth more than we take from it. It has also become necessary that you maximally support the government by paying your taxes, rates, levies and fines to the government.”

He stated that the era of free money was over with the slump in the price of crude oil, adding that every state must now look inward and be creative in order to survive the hardship.

“The era of unearned revenue has come to an end. We are now entering a new and special period where it is imperative for us to work for our own money before we can spend it.”