Obaseki Flays Billions Spent by Nigerians to Train Children Overseas

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City
Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, yesterday declared that the billions of naira spent by Nigerians to educate their children in foreign universities do not add value to the country’s economic growth in the short and medium term.

He said for the country to attain greatness, Nigerians must embrace change and come up with innovate ideas capable of revolutionising the way they think and work for the country to move out of recession.

The governor, who spoke at the 14th convocation ceremony of the Igbinedion University, Okada, stated that recent developments in Nigeria showed that the educational policy has reduced the quality of output of the educational system.

According to him, Nigerians cannot continue to work at the level of the current economic challenges and expect solutions that can turn around its fortunes.

The Edo governor said his administration would be driven by knowledge, data and established base lines. He said his administration was committed to reforming the educational sector of the state with a view to create knowledge driven economy where Edo people can unlock their potentials.

His words: “One of the key mid-term strategies to returning Nigeria to the path of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development is to reform our educational sector in such a manner that can unlock the creative and potentials of our youths.

“We must embrace change. We must come up with innovate ideas capable of revolutionising the way we think and work. One of the imperatives of my administration is to ensure that governance is driven by knowledge, data and established baselines.

“Nigeria as a country cannot afford to continue to import human resources from foreign countries while we spent billions of naira to educate our youths outside the country that do not add value to our economic growth in the short and medium term.”

“Our government has been taking stock of its technical education system with respect to where we got it wrong, what the next step should be, how do we link industry to knowledge and capacity building? What type of infrastructure do we put in place to model our technical colleges to similar ones in foreign countries. What type of programme and courses do we need to ensure maximum use of our human capital. We need the cooperation of the gown to actualise this design.”

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Eghosa Osaghea, announced that a total of 261 beneficiaries of the federal government amnesty programme have graduated from the institution since 2015.
Osaghea, who said the empowerment of Niger Delta youths was critical to the resolution of conflicts in the region, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to continue with the programmme until the gains are consolidated.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II was honoured with a doctorate degree in Law.