A university don, Lai Olurode (Prof), has advised the president, Muhammadu Buhari, to focus on some critical areas like education, including greater investment in infrastructure, enhanced security architecture and poverty.
Speaking exclusively on telephone with BusinessDAY in Lagos at the weekend, Olurode of the Department of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, said this has become imperative because of the need to re-energise the economy and move the nation forward.
He said, Nigeria has been groping in the dark over the years, due to acute deficit in all areas of the economy, especially education, health, road and human capital development.
He regretted that these drawbacks had impacted negatively on Nigeria, such that poverty, disease, squalor and deprivations have become endemic in the country.
The varsity don, who drew the attention of the federal government to the uncontrolled escalating fees currently being charged by owners of private primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the country, shouldn’t in the first instance be entertained by the various regulatory agencies.
According to him, ‘’we need education to track forward our development. There should be uniformed, standard and affordable fees convenience to the lower and upper echelon in the country,’’ Olurode said.
According to the former commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)during the administration of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Buhari’s “strategy and focus should be on education, investment in infrastructure, especially in the rural areas, establishing cottage industries to generate employment, income and reduce poverty,” in the next three and a half years.
He said some tax discrimination policies should also be enunciated in favour of the poor people, arguing that, “those at the bottom should be exempted from tax, while poverty should be tackled through investments in health and education.”
Olurode, on security, which he argued was essential to enhancing development, should also be fully addressed by the president, saying, “Security situation, particularly in the North Eastern part of the country, should be tackled, war veterans should be engaged to enhance the fight.”
“The primary responsibility of a responsible government is to protect lives and property of its citizens. Therefore, the government must rise to the responsibility and ensure that Nigerians go to sleep with their two eyes closed.”
Olurode, urged private business owners to install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras to support the infrastructure deficit in the country to curb insecurity.
Said he: ‘’the security infrastructure in advanced climes like America and Europe were complimented by business owners whose CCTV equipment is used to aide investigations and cracking of crimes
The university don also called for the “Devolution of powers to the states and local councils. Government agencies and parastatals should also be cut down to reduce costs of running them.”
