President
Muhammadu Buhari has urged the government of South Sudan to avoid the mistake
made by Nigeria in her over-reliance on oil revenue, urging the country to
rather invest more in agriculture to grow its economy.
The President, who
spoke yesterday while receiving the outgoing South Sudanese Ambassador to
Nigeria, Ambassador Makuet Riak, at the State House in Abuja, noted that South
Sudan can avoid the mistake made by Nigeria in her over-reliance on oil
revenue.
A statement issued on
Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi
Adesina, quoted him as telling the outgoing envoy that Nigeria’s economy, which
has been heavily dependent on oil over the years, has been adversely affected
by the drop in global oil prices.
Buhari maintained
that, “Investing in sustainable agriculture is one of the best ways to provide
jobs for the people and keep the nation productive.
“Food security is
important to any country and that is what we are trying to achieve here, years
after we ‘threw away’ agriculture for oil.”
He went on to commend
the excellent relations between Nigeria and South Sudan and reaffirmed his
commitment to strengthening existing bilateral ties.
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