Professor Pat Utomi has called the nation to evolve holistic national development plan and goals.

Utomi, who spoke in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Repositioning Universities as Drivers of National Industrial Development, at an event to mark the retirement of Professor Anthony Arinze from active service at the University of Port Harcourt, said it was time the nation constructed a system to move from the point of misery and underdevelopment.

He cited weak institutions been largely responsible for failures in Africa, noting that sound leadership has the capacity to change the country.

Utomi said Nigeria can take a cue from some the development models used by Singapore to achieve it development goals.

He said it was sad that a nation that was producing 5,000 megawatts of electricity under the tenure of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon in the 70s, has suddenly dropped to below 2,000 megawatts about four decades after, noting that the foregoing was a reflection of the inconsistencies in Nigeria’s growth plan.

Professor Arinze who spoke to newsman enjoined government to effectively fund university education in the country, saying that a situation where science practicals are taught without the needed tools is unacceptable.