Education

‘Poor Leadership Responsible For Nigeria’s Under-Development’

Published

2 years ago

January 16, 2023

Nigerians have been told that it is impossible to develope under the conditions of poor quality leadership as well as living over the years with misconceptions of what constitutes development of a nation.
Speaking during the 41st Inaugural Lecture of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, last Thursday, the Inaugural Guest Lecturer, a Professor of Development and Economics, Prof. Good Wilson, while delivering his lecture titled: ‘Nigeria’s Quest For Development: A Journey Without A Roadmap, at the university, maintained that Nigeria instead of progressing alongside countries like Malaysia and Singapore was retrogressing.
Wilson attributed retrogression and underdevelopment of Nigeria to corrupt leadership that has bedeviled the country few years back, noting that this is the reason why the country is where it is today.
He stressed that if Nigerians don’t take a drastic action by choosing quality leaders, who meant well for the economic development and well being of the people, the country and her people will continue to remain poor, underdeveloped and impoverished.
He expressed dissatisfaction towards the conditions affecting the growth and development of Nigeria, adding that to confront the condition that perpetrates hardship and sufferings in Nigeria squarely, requires stronger self determination, the will power and sacrifices by all well meaning individuals to change all the bad leaders and enemies of Nigeria comes the 2023 General Elections.
He added that this was possible if all can muster courage, determination strong will and desire for positive change given the present circumstances that is confronting the country.
He opined that choosing quality leader, will encourage the emergence of a developmental state as well as applying the virtues of a road map that can help to achieve development and improve the living condition of her people.
Prof. Wilson stated further that if asked what he sees about Nigeria attainment of development and improvement in the life of the people years to come, he will say all he sees is a herculean task.

He defined development as the achievement of yearly increases in both the total and per Capita output of goods and services, noting that a country is said to be developing if the country is able to achieve on sustained basis, an annual increase in it’s gross national product (GNP) at a rate of between 5 to 7 percent.

He added that another economic indicator of development that featured prominently in the past was a rising level of industrialization, noting that if the share of industrial output in the total domestic output was rising as well then there was hope development.

Wilson stressed that in a normal setting where things are working development is seen as an economic phenomenon in which the increase in the overall and per-capita GNP would bring about more jobs for the people and a wilder distribution of the economic and social benefits of growth.

“It was believed that growth would lead to improvement in the living conditions of the people which is what development is all about. It was this kind of thinking that informed the United Nations’ declaration of the period 1960-1970 as it’s ‘First Development Decade’, in which it stipulated and advised that all less-developed countries should strive to grow at an annual rate of 5 per cent during the period”, Prof Wilson added. Added.

He emphasised that a Road map is important to every development without which one cannot move to anywhere, saying that: “Development and road map changes can only be sustained on a basis and thus attain development.

“Looking at the various development levels in Nigeria attainment of Development and attendant improvement in the living condition of the people is a herculean task.

“We can achieve development by choosing quality leaders, encouraging the emergence of a development state as well as applying the virtues of a road map”, he added.

The Professor, who is also the Dean, Post Graduate School in the university, cited that Singapore and Malaysia started together with Nigeria, but regretted that today, these two countries have taken over Nigeria, pointing out that Nigeria lacks direction and good leaders, hence the reason why the country is still underdeveloped.

“In Singapore and Malaysia there has been consistency in their political calendar in which their governments were concerned and involved in the growth and development of their countries, but in our own case we are still borrowing, which is not a good practice for a developing country, like ours.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku said:, “Just as we have rightly heard from the inaugural lecturer, the only way towards development is choosing a good leader and that will only be possible if we vote wisely in the upcoming 2023 General elections”.

Onuchuku commended the guest Lecturer for the lecture put up as well as his efforts in X-raying Nigeria and the quest for development, adding that one basic solution is that Nigeria should adopt the paradigm of developmental states, where the states will lead the quest for development in the country.

The Vice Chancellor frown at the state of development in Nigeria, attributing it to corruption, which Nigeria leaders now called borrowing, remarking that basically corruption has shifted from oil to borrowing as seen ordinarily that there is nothing wrong with borrowing.

“Originally the essence why someone borrowed is as a result of lack of needed finance to needed to do something significant, but today people and leaders of this country, Nigeria have turned borrowing to stealing and mortgaged the future of Nigerians which will take the country so many years to develop.

“When we borrowed we put the money in our individual pockets instead of using it to address the general issue plaguing the country and it’s people, so it’s high time for our people to open their eyes next year as they choose their leaders during the 2023 General Elections that would ensure the economic of the country grows as well as the welfare of it’s citizens”, Prof. Onuchuku added.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana & Adline Humhrey

Education

Committee Embarks On Schools Assessment In Etche

Published

2 weeks ago

July 16, 2024

The Tide

The representatives of Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State on “Educational Needs Assessment Committee, Rivers State”, Ministry of Education have embarked on assesement of government- owned schools across the local government.
The leader of the team, Mr Amadi ThankGod Iheayichukwu, who led other members of the group to assess the conditions of public schools in the local government area, said the exercise was in response to the state government’s desire to make every public school in the State functional and conducive for learning.
He stated that the assessment was to actually find out the conditions of schools as directed by the state government and report back to the state Ministry of Education .
According to him, the visit was in line with the state government’s special focus on healthcare, education and agriculture for the development of the State.
It is the responsibility of the State Committee to carefully assess all schools in Rivers State, to enable the Governor, through the Ministry of Education prepare a State-wide system to immediately enhance the teaching and learning business within the State.
Recall that the immediate past administration of the State paid little or no attention to public schools and even the educational sector in general.
The exercise continues and has till the end of this week to submit all reports.
Etche LGA has about 80 primary schools, 25 Junior Secondary Schools and 23 Senior Secondary Schools and about 93 per cent of all, are out of place or completely below standard.
“The educational sector in Rivers State, will soon wear a new look and standard, he said.”

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

UNIPORT SSANU, NASU Protest Non-Payment Of Withheld Salaries

Published

2 weeks ago

July 16, 2024

The Tide

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and its Non-Academic Staff Union(NASU) counterpart in the University of Port Harcourt, under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee(JAC), last Tuesday embarked on a peaceful protest around their campuses to protest against non-payment of four months owed salaries by the Federal Government as directed by their national secretariats.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the protest,the Chairman of SSANU, Comrade Bernard Ezechukwu, said they embarked on the protest to press on the Federal Government to pay their four months withheld salary arrears,fallout of their last national strike, saying the strike was in line with the directive of their national leadership.
According to him, the university system cannot work effectively without the contributions of all the unions on campus.
“We called out our people today on the plight of the workers, as regards our four months salary arrears owed to us by the previous adminstration.
“The university cannot function effectively without the contribution of all the unions on campus. “As non-teaching staff we do our best administratively, the teaching staff also do their beat to keep the system running, so why would the Federal Government trivialise our role or position?”, the SSANU Chairman asked.
He accused the people working with the President of refusing to pay the owed salaries even after the President had given order to that effect.
Ezechukwu said the protest was to notify the Federal Government of the proposed strike,which he said would be total.
Also speaking,the Chairman of NASU,UNIPORT Chapter, Comrade Osorochi Ogbegbe, said the protest was to drum support for the payment of their withheld four months salary arrears.
He queried why the non-academic staff should not be paid when their academic staff counterparts have since been paid.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

RSG Distributes Science Equipment To Secondary Schools

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2024

The Tide

Rivers State Government has distributed science equipment worth over N180 million to all Senior Secondary Schools in the State.
The reception and distribution ceremony took place last Monday at the Senior Secondary Schools Board( RSSSSB) office, Emekuku Street, D/Line, in Port Harcourt.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ovy Chinedu, who flagged off the event, said the science equipment were to improve learning, mostly on science subjects in schools.
According to him, the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, is committed and determined to take education to the next level, adding that the Governor has passion for quality education.
“ I appreciate the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, as he approved and released the money to make this happen.
“He has great passion to deliver quality education and take education to the next level in the State. It was sleepless nights for us to ensure that the equipment arrives so that students can use them for their exams and learn”, Dr. Chinedu said.
The Commissioner urged teachers to put more effort to deliver equality education, saying that they can request for whatever thing needed to improve the system in terms of education and Government will respond immediately, hence they want to give students the right of training and learning.
Earlier in his address, the acting Chairman of the Board and Director of Administration, Ikechi Godpower, said, since the inception of this administration led by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, education in general, particularly teaching and learning is wearing a new look in the State.
He explained that despite the rough terrain the Governor found himself for the past one year of his administration, he has continuously proved to the world that education is the bedrock of growth in our society.
According to him, the last time the board experienced such was in 2019, during the tenure of late Dame Grace Okwulehie, adding that since then six acting Chairmen have headed the board without this favour.
“ I thank the Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for giving education priority, mostly the elevation of seven teachers to the position of permanent secretary, to makeup the counsel of Ahithophel to support the administration, This is the first time since the creation of Rivers State.
“Thank you, Governor Fubara, for giving us a resourceful , diligent and dutiful commissioner of education, who shared the same character traits with you and has uncommon passion for education”, Godpower said.
Speaking on behalf of the principals, while receiving the equipment the Principal of Government Secondary School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt, Mr. Nwala Henry Uzoma, pledged to use the materials.
He thanked the governor through the commissioner of education to have provided the science materials to aid learning, saying that this will certainly improve the knowledge of science students.

By: Tonye Orabere