The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has stressed the need for Nigeria to develop its own plan capable of effectively addressing the current economic downturn.
Fashola, who spoke while delivering a lecture on “Freedom from Fear, Choices before the New Generation” to mark the 42nd convocation of the University of Benin, Edo State, said that Nigerians must overcome their fears and use their natural resources to create solutions and improve their lives.
While addressing the graduating students, he said, “We will not pray our way out of recession; we will plan and produce our way back to prosperity and out of recession and you are the freshest, youngest and most energetic workforce we will have to work with.
“You are the new batteries to power the engine of growth of our country. Your choices must be clear, free from fear, not reckless but driven by analytical thought, questioning and probing and ultimately determined by convictions.”
According to him, young Nigerians must, like their counterparts in developed countries, free their minds from fear, rather than depend solely on spiritual answers to the problems.
