By Thompson Yamput
Former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has called for huge investments in education and health sectors in order to address poverty and under development in Nigeria.
Mimiko stated this on Friday while delivering the maiden convocation lecture of the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, Kogi.
The former governor maintained that the developed countries are products of huge investment in education and healthcare of their citizens.
“It’s what the brains of healthy citizens bring out that bring about growth and development. Therefore, investing in education and health is critical to medium and long term development.
“The Federal Government must make deliberate effort to invest in public schools and the healthcare services as pathway for economic growth and development.
“It means an improvement in the quality of life and living standards, denominated in literacy level, life expectancy, healthcare and the level of freedom available to the people among others, ” he said
He commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for introducing the Nigerian Education Loan Fund
(NELFUND) and tax reforms, which he said would go a long way in addressing the struggle for equity in education and economic problems of the country.
Mimiko also charged the government urgently address the “brain drain” syndrome (migration), especially in the health sector, saying “We may discover in 10 years from now that only traditional medicine practitioners are in charge of our health facilities.”
He applauded CUSTECH for embracing a distinct path anchored on academic excellence, technical relevance, and problem-oriented research.
“CUSTECH is an engine of transformation, committed not just to academic excellence , but to producing a generation of young men and women, who will use their potent tools of science and technology to usher in a new era of genuine sustainable development,” he stated.
He commended the government of kogi for establishing three state-owned universities that offer opportunities for the citizens and residents to access quality education that help transform their lives and communities.
Earlier, Prof. Abdulrahman Salawu CUSTECH Vice-Chancellor, said that the addressed two interwoven social burdens that continue to impede progress in Nigeria and many developing countries.
“We are privileged to have Dr Mimiko as our guest lecturer. He is a visionary leader and statesman, whose insights into public health and education reform remain instructive for the nation’s development,” Salawu said. NAN
