By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Professor Ibrahim Umara of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) has called on the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to strengthen the naira by allowing its free flow in domestic markets and encouraging foreign investors to purchase Nigerian goods and services in foreign currencies.
Prof. Umara emphasized that exporting crude oil in naira, as practiced by the Dangote Group, could attract dollar inflows and enhance the naira’s global value.
He made the call at the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation’s sensitization campaign themed _“Tinubu’s Administration Mid-Term Reports,”_ held at the Federal Secretariat in Maiduguri.
Professor Umara highlighted that such measures could stabilize Nigeria’s economy and unlock greater economic potential.
He acknowledged the economic benefits of removing the oil subsidy but criticized the mismanagement of the resulting proceeds, which he argued are not being effectively utilized to address Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
Umara praised President Bola Tinubu’s resolve to eliminate the oil subsidy, noting that it curbed the export of subsidized petroleum products to neighboring countries at inflated prices, which previously undermined domestic supply.
He also commended reforms in electricity tariffs and agricultural value chains, which have bolstered food security and farming output.
However, he urged Nigerians to support and pray for the government’s economic revitalization policies to alleviate widespread hardships.
Umara, further, called on the Federal Ministry of Information to enhance the reach and efficiency of state-owned media outlets like NTA and FRCN to better inform and mobilize citizens.
In the same vein, Professor Babagana Kachallah Ali, also from the University of Maiduguri, lauded the federal government’s achievements in education, road infrastructure, electricity, agriculture, housing, and water supply, with significant benefits for Borno State.
Representing the Shehu of Borno, the Zanna Gargamma of Borno, Babagana Kachallah Ali, expressed gratitude for federal interventions, including the establishment of tertiary institutions, the North East Development Commission, and key appointments for Borno indigenes.
He also highlighted the resumption of oil exploration and the revitalization of the Lake Chad Basin Development Authority, which are boosting agriculture, employment, and security in the region.
Executive Director of Civil Society Organizations in Borno, Comrade Bulama Abiso, thanked the federal government for supporting Internally Displaced Persons and improving living conditions through various interventions.
He pledged continued collaboration with stakeholders to enhance community welfare.
The Borno State Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, represented by Permanent Secretary Alhaji Aminu Chalwama, echoed calls for improved information dissemination by federal media outlets. Similarly, NUJ Borno State Chairman, Comrade Abdulkareem Haruna, and BRTV’s representative, Comrade Ali Maman Shuwa, urged the Federal Ministry of Information to equip media houses for effective public engagement while pledging their support for accurate and timely government communication.
