As Scotland approaches the referendum on independence – in just over 100 days' time – and we consider the opportunity a yes vote can offer, there is absolutely no doubt that it is a wealthy country. We have extraordinary resources and natural talent.

That fact has been clearly established by Scotland being the richest part of the UK outside London and the south-east, even when we exclude our oil and gas wealth. Scotland would have been ranked 14th in the OECD in terms of output per head in 2012 and among the richest in the world in terms of gross national income. The CPPR's figures show that even on its lowest assessment Scotland would be in the top 20 of the OECD in terms of wealth per head. On Scottish government figures Scotland would be wealthier per head than France, Japan and the UK.

That is not surprising – we have top universities, we are a hotbed of life sciences, our food and drink industry is world class, we have key strengths in growth sectors such as creative industries, and we have 25% of the EU's offshore wind potential and nearly 60% of the EU's oil reserves.

So no matter which measure you use, the wealth of Scotland is undeniable. The issue at the heart of the referendum debate is not whether we are wealthy enough to be an independent country but how we ensure that wealth properly benefits the people of Scotland.

The reality is that while we are a wealthy country, for too many people in Scotland it does not feel that way. Our economy is strong, but we need the powers to create more opportunities and build greater security. That is one of the key drivers behind our argument for independence.

The fact that Scotland has a lower rate of business start-ups, research and development and corporate HQs – particularly when compared to other similar-sized countries – is to my mind an indictment of the status quo.

A comparison between the handling of oil and gas revenues by the UK and Norwegian governments demonstrates the problem. Norway not only established an oil fund to ensure that its citizens would benefit indefinitely from their natural resources – something the UK has singularly failed to do – it also ensured that as the industry developed, domestic businesses were supported to play their part in it. Norway's oil savings fund is now the biggest sovereign wealth fund on the planet, worth more than £500bn; Scotland's oil fund stands at zero.

That is not to say Scotland isn't doing well. We have some excellent homegrown firms, and in the oil and gas industry businesses like the Wood Group are world leaders. Aberdeen Asset Management is now one of the world's largest investment managers, and companies like Alexander Dennis are pioneering low-carbon technology and exporting their products around the world. But we can achieve more.

The current situation has come about because decisions about Scotland are not made by the people of Scotland. I have no doubt that with the powers to make those decisions in Scotland we could do a better job. This week the Scottish government set out some of our ambitions for Scotland.

If within 15 years we can improve our productivity growth by just 0.3 percentage points a year, increase our employment rate by around three percentage points, and boost our working-age population, then we can generate at least £5bn a year of additional revenues.

We will give people the jobs and opportunities that allow them to stay. Highly skilled students educated at Scottish universities would remain in their country. The resulting revenues can be reinvested in growth, in building a more equal society and in developing more homegrown firms.

If we remain under Westminster, Scotland will continue as a regional economy with the inherent risk that jobs and wealth flows out of the country. As an independent country Scotland will be an open, flexible economy trading with the rest of the world. Ensuring we benefit from our own wealth doesn't involve putting up barriers. It is about having the tools to steward your economy properly.

With independence we can marry the talents of the Scottish people to the natural wealth of our nation and, as the Scottish government set out this week, we can take the steps that are necessary to grow our economy, increase productivity and increase the opportunities for young people to pursue their careers in Scotland.

It is time for Scotland to take its future into its own hands.