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
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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