I Don’t Envy Next Govt – Economist, Akpan Ekpo Speaks On State Of The Nation 

An economist, Professor Akpan Ekpo has come out to say he doesn’t envy the  incoming government of the President -Elect, Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reports that this is as the economist bemoaned the current state of the country under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Ekpo, while fielding questions on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday said he doesn’t envy the incoming government because all micro-economic indices are in the wrong direction.

And according to him, that means a lot of work to be done by Buhari’s successor.

The economist explained that the nation’s economy is battling several challenges including rising youth unemployment, underemployment, infrastructure deficit, poor power supply, and poverty among several others, therefore insisting a goodbye is needed to tackle the economic issues.

Ekoo submitted that “First, let me say I don’t envy the incoming government because it is going to inherit an economy that is virtually in disarray.

“There are several challenges. So, the new government has to deal with the challenges. So, it would inherit an economy that at least in the last five years has not performed very well.

 “But it has to run the economy and it has to first assemble a very good team that is committed to changing the structure of the economy.”

Suggesting the way forward, the economist advanced the next administration should “hit the ground running” by urgently addressing the issue of youth unemployment and other areas of the economy as the economy according to him is currently performing below potential.

Ekpo who described the performance of President Buhari’s government in terms of the economy as low, urged the next government to be honest with Nigerians about the state of the economy.

He started that “I think whoever comes on should tell Nigerians that the hardship would not stop in a short time and would take a long time for it to begin to show some positive results if the incoming administration is on the right path.

“So, that regime has to hit the ground running and I hope they are ready for that,” he said, noting that “poverty has increased” in the country.

“Well, in terms of the economy, definitely the government has not performed well. 

“The facts show that they have not performed well. All the micro indices are moving in the wrong direction. So, that economy cannot perform well.”