It may surprise many Nigerians to hear probably for the first time that Nigeria’s huge population which currently stands at about two hundred million is a liability and not an asset.
This new proposition is the thought of an ever candid Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II who made the disclosure at panel discussion at the Nigeria Economic Summit meeting in Abuja.
The Emir stated at the session that Nigeria’s policies are yet to be focused on harnessing the huge potential of its population.
Sanusi, at the monitored Channels TV programme, also attributed the spate of kidnapping, armed robbery, insurgency, farmers-herders crisis to the population growth.
He said, “People talk that our population is an asset but we are yet to get there. Nigeria’s population is currently a liability because most of the root cause of problems such as kidnapping, armed robbery, Boko Haram and drug addiction are all tied to the population that we have; and the question is: how do you turn that into a productive one?”
Other dignitaries at the session include the Founder of the Kukah Centre, Bishop Matthew Kukah; Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, among others.