Issues
Missing EndSARS Protest By 18 Inches
According to a popular Aphorism “Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty”.
To underscore the significance of this statement, this notable maxim has been expressed in different fields of human endeavour by leaders and scholars of varied backgrounds.
It is on record that a British lawyer, John Philpott – Curran, used it in 1790 while discussing rules for electing the Lord Major of London, US writer Thomas U.P. Chalton used it in 1809 in the book – The Life of Major General James Jackson; U.S. President Andrew Jackson’s Farewell address in 1837 and American social reformer Frederick Donglas used it in 1845 during the fight against slavery and racial discrimination, among others.
As if that was not enough, Irish poet Edmund Burke once said “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”.
It is, therefore, expedient for good people and citizens alike to contribute meaningfully to societal growth and development by standing up against evil, injustice and police brutality as well as bad governance.
In this regard, the recent peaceful EndSARS Protest nationwide remains germain for a better Nigeria to evolve, more so as such peaceful protest is guaranteed under the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It is also commendable to observe the ability of Nigerian youths to organize themselves non-violently.
For instance, one cannot forget in a hurry how Christian youths protected Muslims during Friday prayer service and vice-versa on Sunday during Christians church service while the peaceful EndSARS protest lasted.
Better still, were the five points demand which included immediate release of arrested protesters, justice for deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for affected families and setting up of an independent body to investigate and oversee the investigation and reports of police misconduct within 10 days.
Others are psychological evaluation and retraining of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be redeployed and increment in police salaries and other welfare packages.
In all, the common denominator from the five-point demand is a clarion call for police reform and end to bad governance.
Unfortunately, the EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums that led to the destruction of lives and property across the nation as well as looting of warehouses, particularly where COVID-l9 palliatives were allegedly kept.
The Lekki Toll Gate saga, burning of police stations and killing of security operatives nationwide, were some of the ugly sides of the EndSARS protest.
However, the handling of the aftermath of EndSARS protest has opened another cankerworm in government-citizens engagement process. For instance, in Lagos State at first, Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu denied inviting the army but the army has refuted the claim saying that soldiers invaded Lekki Toll Gate on the invitation of the governor.
Worse still was the challenge of killing of two protesters, the controversy over the use of ‘massacre’ as used by U.S Cable News Network (CNN) and use of rubber or live bullet, etc.
This is not to trivialize the federal government’s order requesting security operatives to go after hoodlums and recover looted items as the CBN freezes bank accounts of sponsors of the EndSARS protest.
This dramatic turn of events has left many unanswered questions in the polity. For instance, one may ask, is the leadership, particularly the political class, concerned about the welfare of the citizenry?
What should be the proper thing to do, ordering security operatives to identify hoodlums and recover looted items but cannot identify citizens who are to benefit from the distribution of palliatives.
It is surprising that the CBN can easily identify and freeze the bank accounts of alleged leaders of EndSARS protesters but cannot do same to corrupt public officials and sponsors of Boko Haram.
To this end, the character of the federal government does not show that the welfare of Nigerians is dear to the heart of political leaders. This is where the Holy Bible in Matthew 12:34 comes to mind: when it says “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”. As if that is not enough, the Bible book of Jeremiah 17: 9-10 states thus: “The heart of a man is desperately wicked”.
It is common knowledge that the head-knowledge of the system of government alone is not good enough to engender good governance and peaceful co-existence but heart-knowledge of citizens and governance.
It is pertinent to state that the distance between the head and heart is 18 inches. Unfortunately, the distance of 18 inches is responsible for the disconnect between the leadership and followership or the entire citizenry.
The political class and, indeed, the leadership do not exhibit good conscience in the management of men and resources resulting in the call for reform and restructuring of not only the police but the Nigerian State.
It is worrying that more than two months after the EndSARS protest, police brutality and extra-judicial killing by the police across the country are on the rise.
It is on record that in Rivers State a police officer reportedly shot and killed a tricycle (keke) driver at Rukpokwu and Jimoh Abiodun was killed by a police officer attached to Elelenwo Police Station all in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area while the case of the famous Ikoku 4 involving the death of Chima Okwunado is ongoing in court.
To truly address the challenge of police brutality and in turn bridge the distance between head and heart, Demand No. 4 by EndSARS campaigners must be accorded priority attention.
The demand requested for psychological evaluation of men and officers of the defunct F-SARS before redeploying them; as well as retraining police nationwide.
According to the Chairman, Nigerian Association of Clinical Psychologists; Rivers State Chapter, Mrs. Ada Maduka: “Psychological test is used to assesses the personality of an individual to determine the functionality—that is how a person is able to function in carrying out his/her assignment.
Mrs. Maduka concluded thus: ‘It is also used to find out if there is an underlying psycho-pathology—that is question about emotionality of an individual”.
Similarly, a psychiatric consultant, Dr Fisayo Adesokun, corroborated the need for psychological evaluation of policemen and women to ascertain the mental fitness of the personnel in a workforce.
“It is used by the authorities to check whether a staff has a mental health challenge that needs to be addressed”.
The duo identified what they called Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI – 2) as the common scientific tool for psychological evaluation.
Speaking on the domains of learning, a Professor of Industrial Technology Education and Director, Institute of Education, Rivers State University, Professor Paulinus Okwelle, identified cognitive, affective and psycho-motor domains as strategic in transforming learners and the three are represented by the 3H; namely Head, Heart and Hand.
Simply put, learning is said to have taken place when the behaviour of the learner has changed for the better in these domains of human being.
According to him, knowledge, comprehension, synthesis belong to the cognitive domain, feeling, emotion, behaviour, attitude, character and characterization relate to affective domain while ability to use the hand, display of skill is a function of psycho-motor.
In other words, acquisition of knowledge via training is not all there is for a better policing but having the right attitude and character which are functions of heart and affective domain.
Thus, prioritizing psychological evaluation of police officers is key in the task of ending police brutality and reform in the police force.
This means that the EndSARS protest’s Demand No.4 is challenging the mental faculty of the police force with respect to the required knowledge and attitude necessary for a better policing.
Nigerians demand more than orderly room trial of recalcitrant police men who shoot and kill every citizen at the slightest provocation or mere query of unjustifiable use of riffle to kill Nigerians …
The distance to cover is only 18 inches, being the distance between the head and the heart, which could be achieved through the proper conduct of psychological evaluation of the entire Nigerian Police Force.
Sika is a Port Harcourt-based public affairs analyst.
Issues
Is Okocha A Happy Man Being Perpetual Hireling?
The man Tony Okocha, the devastated tattered ragtag remnant Rivers APC factional, but Caretaker, Chairman, is known for being notoriously a hireling willing to play in the mud just for the pay or settlement. To Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, he did against Chief Nyesom Wike. To Senator Magnus Abe, he did against Rotimi Amaechi. To Chief Nyesom Wike, he did against Magnus Abe. Having maintained such unbefitting character trait, it is not surprising to see him at his demeaned best showing off his tainted skill of grandstanding and loquaciously struggling fruitlessly almost every day to castigate the popular Rivers people’s Governor with very glaring false, bogus and unsubstantiated claims such as:
1. That Governor Fubara is wasting state fund in the name of thanksgiving across 23 Local Government Areas.
2. That Governor Fubara has withheld Local Government funds.
3. That Governor Fubara runs the government without input from the State Executive Council.
4. That nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance.
To the above false claims of Tony Okocha, every reasonable, right thinking and well-meaning Rivers person would effortlessly puncture all as rascality and mendacity taken too far.
Apart from the fact that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had said he is not sponsoring the massive SIMplified Movement Thanksgiving events across the Local Government Areas of the State being organised by elated Rivers people who feel liberated from an era of overbearing and suppressive form of leadership in the State, Tony Okocha should be asked to prove his false claim with indisputable facts and figures. Until then, let Tony Okocha respect himself and learn to keep quiet as an elderly person who is saddled with such a responsible position as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board. A position that places a huge responsibility on him to ensure that the core objectives of the commission are actualised in the State, by not only ensuring that Rivers State gets its fair share of its dues in terms of projects, programmes and activities, but by synergising with the state government on development matters concerning the state vis-a-vis the responsibilities of NDDC to the State. In summary, the SIMplified Movement is all about a happy and joyful people of Rivers State who have decided to stand and stick together to defend and uphold their common heritage and patrimony. It is a voluntary venture, not sponsored by the government.
To his claim that the Governor has withheld Local Government funds, Mr Tony Okocha should also be asked to prove that with facts and figures and explain why the Governor would do such. More so, what is Tony Okocha’s business, assuming, but not conceding, that a PDP Governor withholds money against PDP-led 23 Local Government authorities? Did Local Government workers across the state complain to Okocha, the meddlesome hireling, an acclaimed APC Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers State?
On his ignorant and false claim that the Governor runs the government without input from the state exco, Okocha, the busybody wannabe should explain how he was employed or engaged as the spokesperson of members of the Rivers State Executive Council. He should also tell us his source of information to that effect, if it is not just a proof that he is making himself known as a perpetually irredeemable hireling notoriously good for playing the spoiler’s role.
On Mr Okocha’s assertion, probably, borne out of lack of more convincing lies, that nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance, is sure a proof that the man is only acting a bad and an unsellable script to justify the reward of expected gratifying filthy lucre, which is the compelling reason for condescending so low and evilly so. How else is governance measured, if not by executing meaningful and impactful projects, giving hope, inspiring and putting smiles on the faces of the people with joy of fulfilment in their hearts, both civil servants and everyone living and doing business in the State? Is Okocha blind to see and deaf to hear of the good works of the Governor Fubara led Rivers State Government? Civil servants are happy, teachers are highly elated. Several projects are ongoing. Investors are trooping in. The health sector, education, agriculture, sports have been highly boosted under Governor Fubara-led administration. To Okocha, there’s no governance in the State because patronage of free money is not getting to him from the Governor but from other sources that are likely against the Governor.
Let Tony Okocha weep more. Rivers State is breathing fresh air already and is liberated.
Let Tony Okocha tell us how he has, so far, as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), clearly effected development in the State through the NDDC, and why he lied that there was Cholera outbreak with deaths recorded in Soku in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area with the intent of raking in about ¦ N5billion for non-existent mitigation programmes?
Odike is Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Social/New Media .
Bernard C. Idike
Issues
Day Asari-Toru Declared Massive Support For Fubara
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, was an American statesman and politician who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. He was a member of the Democratic Party and is the only United States President to have served more than two terms.
In one of his popular quotes, he said, “The creed of our democracy is that liberty is acquired and kept by men and women who are strong and self-reliant, and possessed of such wisdom as God gives mankind – men and women who are just, and understanding, and generous to others — men and women who are capable of disciplining themselves. For they are the rulers and they must rule themselves.”
This explains the recent gathering of creme la creme of Asari-Toru political gladiators converged at the inauguration of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter to reiterate their unflinching support for the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara whose mantra revolves around liberation.
The event which took place at the Autograph in Port Harcourt on the 1st of March, 2024, to galvanise strong support for Governor Fubara attracted over 500 members of the Simplified Movement from the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The gathering of supporters of Governor Fubara’s government, under the umbrella of the Simplified Movement, the ASALGA chapter led by an astute politician, former member of the Federal House of Representatives and two- time member of the Rivers State Executive Council as Commissioner, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall comprised both the old and young generation political helmsmen drawn from all the 13 Wards of the local government area.
The nerve-““““““wracking gathering had the likes of the 1999 democratic system pioneer Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council and former two-time Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Hon. Opakirite Mackson Jackreece; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adokiye Young-Harry; former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Daisy West and former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Chief Hon. Iboroma Norman Wokoma.
Others were the incumbent Vice Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council, Hon. (Mrs.) Tekena Wokoma; former Commissioner of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Hon. Dr. Hope Barango; the South-West Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sule Amachree and the Secretary of the Local Government chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Cladious Princewill; former Chief of Staff of Council, Hon. Ajumogobia West and former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ASALGA, Hon. Onari Awo Tariah.
Also present at the event were past caretaker committee chairmen of the Local Government Council including, Hon. Waite Harry, Hon. Dawari Hamilton Ibinabo, Hon. Wright Warmate and former Deputy Mayor of the Port Harcourt City Council, Hon. Adokiye Horsfall amongst others. My humble self belongs to the movement. The list is inexhaustible.
Speaking at the inauguration, the member representing Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and leader of the Asari-Toru political family, Hon. Boma Goodhead assured the people of the commitment of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to extend visible dividends of democracy to the people of ASALGA.
The federal lawmaker who spoke through her representative, Dr. Sule Amachree, said Governor Fubara means well for Rivers people, particularly the people of ASALGA and urged them to remain calm, peaceful and resolute in their support to the administration of the State Governor.
“His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is the Governor ordained by God to liberate Rivers people from the snares of poverty and oppression. He is God-sent to bring visible and even development to Rivers State and Asari-Toru people are on the top of that agenda of development,” she said.
Hon. Goodhead reiterated her confidence in the capacity of the leader of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall to mobilise massive support and a huge source of encouragement for the Government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara to succeed.
“I urge you to continue to stand firm with our Governor. Be rest assured that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is a man of peace, focused and determined to deliver on the mandate given to him by the people of Rivers State. He will not fail you,” she said.
In his speech, the leader of the ASALGA chapter of the Simplified Movement, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall described the movement as a child of necessity born out of the hunger of Rivers people for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation.
“As witnessed across the length and breadth of Rivers State, the Simplified Movement is a child of necessity, born out of the hunger for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation, with one core objective to promote and defend the interests of Rivers State and her people. It is on this account, we stand as dependable allies giving strong support to the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in his pursuit of peace and commitment to the genuine development of Rivers State.
“It is our position that with the elections come and gone, it is practically a time to face governance and to ensure deliverables of dividends to the people of Rivers State in the atmosphere of peace, security and stability,” he said.
Chief Samuel Horsfall explained that Rivers people saw the leadership qualities needed to achieve the sole objective to genuinely defend and promote the interest of the State in Governor Fubara, hence the spontaneous massive support expressed in the birth of the Simplified Movement.
He recounted avalanche of achievements made by Governor Fubara within six months in office. “We appreciate the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his resilience and determination to make a difference. It is on record and attestable by all, the numerous projects being executed by his administration.
“Such as the ongoing construction of the gigantic Port Harcourt Ring Road project, the 20,000 housing units for low income earners, the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity road, the near completion of the 10km Old Port Harcourt-Bori road, the Emohua-Kalabari road, the 6.5km Woji-Alesa-Refinery link road and the inclusion of the remaining part of the Trans-Kalabari road project in the 2024 budget. “Moreover, the promotion of the State civil servants, first time in history payment of N100,000.00 Christmas bonus to civil servants across board, approval of promotions and implementation of N30,000.00 minimum wage for local government workers and the N4 billion single digit interest loans facility for Small and Medium Scale business operators in Rivers State. All these achievements within six months in office are eloquent testimonies of Governor Fubara to deliberately improve the welfare of Rivers people.
“We are convinced that such a proven great mind and well experienced, tested and trusted administrator/technocrat, Governor Fubara has demonstrated the capacity to deliver effectively the needed democratic dividends to Rivers people. It is on this convention we are gathered here for the umpteenth time to reaffirm our unalloyed support and commitment to his administration,” Chief Samuel Horsfall declared.
He disclosed that the gathering was to put in place citizens mobilisation strategy to forge a collaborative bond with the Governor to foster partnership for the development of ASALGA and the State. He, therefore, advised those he called detractors of Governor Fubara’s administration to desist forthwith and allow the Governor to remain focused in his quest to deliver on his mandate.
“All detractors should desist from further attacks on the Governor and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and allow the Governor to focus on the delivery of the good policies and programmes to Rivers people. We unequivocally condemn attempts by disgruntled Abuja politicians to employ intimidation antics against the former Speaker of the 10th State Assembly and current Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and others who are standing on the path of justice and good conscience for the collective good of Rivers State.
“We equally urge the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to be discreet in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities in the State and not to allow themselves to be used by selfish individuals who do not mean well to fuel political crisis in Rivers State.
Chief Samuel Horsfall also commended the federal lawmaker, Hon. Boma Goodhead for her doggedness and resilience in supporting Governor Fubara since the wake of the political crisis in the State.
Several other personalities spoke to express their support to the State Governor and urged the people to ASALGA to maintain their peaceful disposition and remain steadfast in the Simplified Movement to give the state government maximum support to continue to render good governance to Rivers people.
Highlights of the event were the inauguration of the elders and stakeholders of the Simplified Movement for the 13 Wards as well as the executive committee of the movement in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.
Amieyeofori Ibim
Issues
Human Capital Development …Panacea For Poverty Reduction In Nigeria
Experts have over time emphasised the relationship between Human Capital Development (HCD), poverty reduction and good standard of living. They view human capital development in the light of increasing the number of persons who have skills, education and experience that are required for the economic growth and development of a nation. They also view it as a people -focused plan of action aimed at providing knowledge, skills and productivity for the development of a nation. The World Bank in its publication, “The-Human-Capital-Project-in-Sub-Saharan-Africa-Stories-of-Progress”, states that “Human capital, which is the sum of a population’s health, skills, knowledge, and experience, accounts for the largest share of countries’ wealth globally. “It allows everyone to reach their full potential and is increasingly becoming recognised as a primary driver of a nation’s economic growth.”
The World Bank in analysing how countries have fared with regard to HCD, stated that based on a new index, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa saw major reductions in under-five mortality between 1990 and 2015. It however, stated that “the number of children who die under the age of five mostly from avoidable causes such as complications related to respiratory infections, diarrhea, or malaria, is still high at about 2.9 million every year. “Countries such as Somalia, Chad, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone, Mali, and Nigeria have child mortality rate above 100 deaths per 1,000 live births, one of the highest in the world.” Also, according to the World Bank, Nigeria ranked 152 in the 2018 Human Capital Index (HCI). In furtherance of Nigeria’s poor rating, the World Bank 2020 HCI indicates that, “a child born in Nigeria just before the pandemic will be 36 per cent as productive when she grows up as she could be if she enjoyed complete education and full health.
“This is lower than the average for the Sub-Saharan African region (40 per cent) and Lower Middle Income countries (48 per cent).
Nigeria’s poor rating is corroborated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), global data on out-of-school children, which indicated in 2022 that Nigeria has about 20 million out-of-school children. In the same vein, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said a new global maternal mortality report showed that 82,000 women in Nigeria die from pregnancy and childbirth-related cases annually. Part of the fallout of the Nigeria’s poor Human Capital Index unfortunately is the current surge in human capital export popularly called “Japa”, which has led to huge manpower gap in various sectors of the Nigerian economy. This capital export, which has seen doctors, nurses, teachers and other professionals leaving the shores of the country in droves, has also led to shortage of skilled manpower. This development has further affected critical sectors of the economy that are key to measuring the level of human capital development like the health and education sectors.
To find lasting solution to the problem of poor HCI, the World Development Report (WDR) 2019 stated that “investing in human capital must be a priority for governments in order for workers to build the skills in demand in the labour market. It further stated that, “governments need to enhance social protection and extend it to all people in society irrespective of the terms on which they work.” To fund these investments in human capital and social protection, the report offers some suggestions as to how governments can mobilise additional revenues by increasing tax base. In view of this reality and as part of efforts to change the narrative, the National Economic Council in March 2018, inaugurated the Human Capital Development (HCD) Programme in Nigeria. The programme is designed in recognition of the critical role human capital development plays in addressing poverty and ensuring sustainable economic growth. It is also aimed at increasing investments in the Nigerian people, thereby improving Nigeria’s human capital development indices.
The immediate past Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at a Peer Review meeting recently held for HCD State Focal Persons under the programme, said, Nigeria must accord attention to HCD to drive the desired economic growth. He emphasised that human capital development plays a critical role in addressing poverty and ensuring participatory and sustainable economic growth. The former vice president urged the focal persons not to relent in sensitising state governments to ensure the impacts of the programme were felt at the grassroots. “We have since inception made tremendous strides in the implementation of the programme at the national and sub national levels. “Notable achievements included the inauguration of the national HCD strategy, constitution of state HCD councils and technical working groups. “Others are the development of national HCD communication strategy and the organisation of regional HCD conferences as well as strategic partnerships and alliances being forged across several stakeholders’ groups,’’ he said. Osinbajo expressed optimism that the successes achieved so far would provide the needed confidence in implementing the third phase of the programme successfully.
“As we begin the third phase of the programme implementation, the objectives of this programme will be met and the 2030 HCD target will be achieved in all, across the three thematic areas (level of education, standard of living and health of humans).“This phase is crucial to national success as it would be taking HCD to the grassroots where change is most needed and advocacy critical in where the programme is adopted,’’ he said. Osinbajo said that the third phase includes the inauguration of the community-based demonstration of the HCD programme in its simplest form. He said that successes recorded could be replicated across various communities in each local government area across Nigeria. Also speaking, the Coordinator, Core Working Group, HCD in Nigeria, Ms. Yosola Akinbi, said that critical areas of the implementation and management of the programme must happen at the grassroots. While noting that HCD was the software of any development, Akinbi said “we must build a country where the skills will be retained.”
In the same vein, some of the focal persons during their state presentations, said that the core of the HCD drive was the empowerment of youths to have the capacity and skills needed in creating or seeking employment. A participant from Akwa Ibom, Mr. Isaac Uduak, narrated how Akwa Ibom State Government under the former governor, Emmanuel Udom, took labour force participation seriously through its industrialisation policy that leveraged a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to revolutionise industries in Africa. “The average Nigerian will agree that policy formulation has never been a problem, implementation is usually the challenge. “The administration of Governor Emmanuel Udom understood this and went beyond mere policy implementation to ensuring the effective execution of its industrialisation policies in creating wealth for its people,’’ Uduak said.
The Nasarawa State Focal Person, Mrs. Habiba Suleiman, said that the programme in the state was concentrating on youth development. According to her, the Nasarawa State Government through the HCD Office with OXFAM in Nigeria as funding partners had trained youths in courses such as Team Building, Work Ethics and Business Model Canvas. “Others are Problem Solving, Presentation Skills, Telephone Etiquette, Customer Service among others,’’ she said.
In the account of the Adamawa State delegate, Mr. Amos Nuhu, the state under the programme built the capacity of 1, 000 health workers while improving the utilisation of child health and nutrition. “In addition, we have 10 skills acquisition centres and we are providing technical knowledge to improve efficiency for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in shoes and bags making. “More so, the state has its priorities in education through training and retraining of teachers as well as operating free education at the basic level,’’ Nuhu said.
Meanwhile, working in line with the vision to develop human capital in the country, the immediate past governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, had also pledged the state’s commitment to developing the human capital crucial in the growth of industries. He said, “we will work with the entire Nigeria to ensure that we develop the human capital which is needed for the growth of industries. Analysts have opined that the new leadership of the states and the nation should give prior attention to the issue of Human Capital Development, take the works of their predecessors in this regard to higher level and initiate some projects and programmes, where they are lacking, so that more Nigerians will be equipped to contribute to the development of their states and the country at large.
They said that leaders across the three tiers of government should play down on amassing public funds for themselves and generations yet unborn and rather use these monies to rebuild the various sectors of the nation’s economy so that Nigeria will be a better place to live in.
By: Calista Ezeaku
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