By Bukola Olamona
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A member of the National Assembly, representing Akoko South-East and South-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Babatunde Kolawole, has berated what he called a lack of demonstration of the required political will by the federal government to diversify the nation’s economy.

Hon. Kolawole stated this while delivering the Keynote Address at the maiden edition of the Nigeria Studies in Economics and Management Sciences, NSiEMS, Conference, organized by the Departments of Accounting, Banking and Finance, Business Administration, and Economics of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, on Tuesday.

In his words, “Since the advent of the administration of President Buhari, it has been touted that there is the need for the country to redefine its economic dependence on oil. Though past governments had only paid lip service to diversify the nation’s economy, how prepared is this government to follow through on its diversification agenda?

“Some of the factors militating against diversification include, lack of political will; inadequate funding of agriculture sector; inappropriate and inconsistent policies; insecurity; and herdsmen and farmers’ clashes.”

Hon. Kolawole, who spoke on, “Nigeria’s Economic Diversification and its Challenges,” advised the government to be courageous and demonstrate its political will to diversify the nation’s economy.

Earlier in his address, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who represented the Vice Chancellor on the occasion, had thanked the leadership of the four Departments for their collaborative efforts, adding that such joint initiative would be needed to solve most of the nation’s economic problems.

Also speaking, the Dean of the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, Prof. Sola Olorunfemi, said the conference was to allow young and leading researchers and practitioners from industries to find national linkage for future collaborations in their career path, as well as to share new and advanced research results in the fields of economics and management sciences.

He thanked the Planning Committee under the leadership of the Head of the Department of Accounting, Dr. Felix Olurankinse, for organizing a befitting conference.