PMB Should Bring Back Social And Economic Policies – Taiwo Shoyode

A septuagenarian, Elder Taiwo Shoyode has advised the Federal Government to adopt the socio-economic policies that boosted the economy of the defunct Western Region in resolving the country’s economic quagmire.

Shoyode, father in-law to Vice-President Yemi Oshinbajo, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at a free health progarmme, sponsored by a philanthropist, Dawodu Olatunji.

The programme, “Health is Wealth’’, is a free malaria test and drugs outreach, held on Saturday at Solomon Hall, Mushin, Lagos.

Shoyode urged the new generation politicians to go back and study the socio-economic agenda of the then Western Region to tackle the issues of economic downturn.

He said the laudable programmes embarked upon and implemented well by the Obafemi Awolowo-led western region remained the best economic policy that might address the present day realities.

“I will recommend that our politicians go back to those economic policies as a way out of this economic recession.

“Then, we have farm settlements which absorbed more than half of our graduates.

“I urge politicians to bring back those laudable social and economic policies and we will be better for it; even if they implement 30 per cent of it, Nigeria will be great again.

“We need to go back to the farm settlements because many jobs will be created through it and thousands of our unemployed youths will be absorbed by the programme.

“The old western region’s socio-economic programmes remain the best politicians could copy from. Even if we can achieve 30 per cent it will reach every corner of this country,’’ he said.

Shoyode also said that agriculture should be the mainstay of the economy because of its capacity to absorb as many people as might want to engage in it.

“Agriculture will combat unemployment and bring quality implementable programmes that will positively impact the lives of people.