The Federal Government has been charged to adopt innovative policies that will boost domestic production and address the security challenge responsible for persistent rise in inflation rate in the country.
Some economists gave the admonition in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
A lecturer of Economics at the Pan Atlantic University, Dr Austine Nwaeze, said the government should initiate policies that would enhance production in the country.
“The government could ensure that access to raw materials is available for local producers through its backward integration programmes.
“Issues relating to multiple taxation needs to be addressed to reduce the headwinds associated with domestic production,” Nwaeze said.
He noted that increased investment in key infrastructure by the Federal Government would stimulate the growth of the productive sector.
“More investment in regular provision of electricity is needed to ensure domestic manufacturers operate optimally.
“The government should also sustain its investment in railway services to ensure an efficient and affordable transport system for businesses,” Nwaeze said.
In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said the Federal Government should adopt a new strategy to check the security challenges undermining food induced inflation.
He advocates for more collaboration among the three tiers of government towards the provision of intelligence to the authorities as part of measures to bring the challenges under control.
Yusuf opines that this would encourage farmers to begin cultivation in the food belt states in order to raise food output.
He noted that the Federal Government must address the rising cost of transportation, one of the major causes of inflation in the country.
“The cost of transportation is on the increase and partly responsible for the exorbitant prices of commodities,” Yusuf said.
He added that the monetary authorities should pay more attention in addressing the depreciating value of the national currency because of its effect in fuelling rising inflation currently.
On his part, the President, Standard Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Anono, advised the Federal Government to continue to support more private investments in the refined petroleum sector to check importation.
Mr. Anono said having more privately owned refineries will enable the country to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce the inflationary increase that is associated with importation.
He added that the government can save its scarce foreign exchange and reallocate to other productive sectors of the economy.
Anono further urged the Federal Government to put in place measures that would ameliorate the impact of climate change on food production.
Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose to 22.41 per cent in May from 22.22 per cent in the previous month, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The statistics office said the May 2023 inflation rate showed an increase of 0.19 per cent when compared to April figure.
(NAN)
