This Govt Not Interested In Children’s Education, Says Ezekwesili

Seven years after Boko Haram abducted over 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok Borno State, former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili says the Federal Government is not interested in the education of schoolchildren.

Although most of the 276 girls escaped or were later released, more than 112 girls are still missing.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Ezekwesili lamented that the whereabouts of the schoolgirls still remain unknown.

“This government did not give any priority, I do not think this government is interested in schoolchildren and their education,” she said.

“Look at northern Nigeria; it is already behind the curve in terms of development. Development is a function of human capital – education, health and all the other associated services that people need in other to productively engage.”

Ezekwesili, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to give children a priority in Nigeria, especially on their education.

She also reacted to a claim by Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, that the Federal Government directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to mint about N60 billion to augment the monthly allocation to states.

Being a former Vice President of the World Bank, Ezekwesili said the nation’s economy is in serious trouble.

While describing inflation as the worst economy of the poor, she said Nigeria’s inflation stands at 17 per cent.

“The country is in serious economic trouble. The truth is that you have got inflation at a high double-digit of 17 per cent.

“For the governor to be almost sanguine about quantitative easing that is not backed by the kind of level of growth and productivity like America and some of the other countries in Europe, this is really so much dangerous policy,” she added.