Nation
Nigeria Has Recorded Improvement In Human Capital Dev-Don
A lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Christian Madu, says Nigeria has recorded tremendous improvement in human capital development and literacy level over the years.
Madu disclosed this when he spoke with The Tide source yesterday in Enugu.
He said that the country could boast of well-trained professionals and artisans in all fields of human endeavours adding that the entrepreneurial spirits of Nigerians drive these successes.
According to him, many of the Nigerian families understand the value of education and they are willing to invest in their children’s education.
“In most parts of the country especially the South-East and South-West, families can boast of at least a member with a university or higher education qualification.
“This is remarkable. In the 1960s after the independence, many families could not even boast of a member with secondary school education,” he said.
Madu, a Professor of Environmental Management and Control, however, said that the government has not done enough to ensure that the country sustain these gains in human capital development and literacy level.
“In 2020, Nigeria allocated 6.7 per cent of its national budget to education.
“According to a PrimeTime article of Oct. 24, 2020, the Federal Government dedicated only 5.6 per cent of its 2021 budget to education, which is Nigeria’s lowest in 10 years.
“This is a steep decline in the allocation for the education sector. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommendation is an international benchmark of between 15 and 20 per cent.
“Thus, we can see that the nation is far from this benchmark. Some public schools are so dilapidated and students in both the public and private schools hardly get any support from the government,” he said.
The don added:”Many of the achievements are through self efforts and family support. Our people have managed to find ways to educate themselves even under unbearable situations. Many have travelled abroad and have made their marks there.”
Madu, who is a supervisor of lead researchers at the Centre for Environmental Management and Control, UNN, said that the country exports technical and highly skilled labours to all parts of the world.
According to him, in almost any industrial nation you visit today, you will find Nigerians in the Diaspora as doctors, nurses, engineers, professors and so on.
“Those in Diaspora have also become the life support of the country. They take care of many families at home to contain the massive unemployment in Nigeria.
“According to the World Bank report titled “Migration and Development Brief,” Nigerians in the Diaspora remitted a whopping 23.24 billion dollars in 2019 and 16.8 billion dollars in 2020 showing a drop of about 27.7 per cent.
“The significance of this is that human capital development can actually help to bring stability and sustainability in the country by containing the increase in youth unemployment.
“The government needs to pay more attention to the education sector. It should also make serious efforts to tap into the wealth of professionals that are resident in other countries.We should be taking advantage of these resources rather than let them be the resources for other nations,” he said.
The don said that the country needed to emphasise more on technological skills for economic development.
“We are in a digital era, what the citizens need is little support from the government to actualise their goals.
“In places like Lagos and Enugu, computer villages are gradually emerging and the indigenous proficiencies that have been developed should be harnessed and not killed by excessive government interference in running such vital businesses,” he added
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
A pan-Nigeria organisation committed to the promotion and preservation of indigenous languages, Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters (ILCP), has called for the deliberate development and compulsory teaching of indigenous languages in both primary and secondary schools across the country.
The group made the call during its maiden Congress held in Bori, Rivers State, which was convened to examine challenges hindering the official adoption and effective teaching of Ogoni languages in schools.
Speaking at the Congress, the Executive Director of the organisation, HRC Mene Magnus Edooh, Amb.P, emphasised the critical role of indigenous languages in preserving a people’s culture, values and history. He warned against the gradual extinction of native languages, noting that language loss equates to identity loss.
“Years ago, Latin was a language of global relevance, but today it is largely extinct. We do not want Ogoni languages to suffer a similar fate. As a people, we cannot afford to lose our identity through the death of our languages,” Edooh said.
He explained that the Indigenous Language and Culture Promoters was established to collaborate with language stakeholders to ensure that children and younger generations remain connected to their mother tongues. The organisation also appealed to governments at all levels, as well as relevant institutions and individuals, to take strategic actions aimed at promoting and sustaining Nigeria’s indigenous languages.
Also speaking, the newly appointed Director of Media and Information, Prince David N. Gbarato, questioned the rationale behind government reluctance to accord indigenous languages their rightful place in national development policies.
According to him, “People with well-developed languages are people with well-developed indigenous systems and affairs,” stressing that language development is fundamental to cultural and societal advancement.
The Congress further served as a platform for the ratification of key officers of the organisation and featured the participation of representatives from various indigenous language groups and other language stakeholders, all of whom echoed the call for renewed commitment towards safeguarding Nigeria’s linguistic heritage.
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