Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, yesterday, reviewed the high levels of insecurity and poverty in the country and submitted that massive investment in the education of youths is the only formula for reversing the negative trend.
PDP leaders, including former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar; PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who spoke in Abuja at the launching of an educational foundation, agreed that the failures of government in education and youths empowerment were largely responsible for Nigeria’s current “distress”.
Commending former Acting Chairman of PDP, Abubakar Kawu Baraje, for setting up the educational foundation, Atiku declared that the initiative was not only timely but symbolised the urgency to salvage “our frail nation from the resultant negative impact of poor public investment in human capital development which is evident in our abysmal ranking in the global index. “
Atiku, who was represented by Jamil Muhammed, linked Nigeria’s poor investment in education to the country’s large army of out of school children, legion of the unemployed, rampaging insecurity, rising poverty rate and persistent underdevelopment.
“This calls for all hands to be on deck to break the vicious circle of illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and insecurity that has imprisoned our youth and nation as a whole.
“This can be achieved if we continue to advocate for increased public and private investment in youth development and empowerment. It is a step that should be taken with all sense of urgency,” he added.
Saraki said the security challenges arose from poor attention to education of youths, particularly in the area of moral and spiritual upliftment.
He charged government at all levels as well as traditional rulers to invest more in moral and spiritual education of the youths.
Secondus said: “The country is in distress and we need to be putting down something that can reverse the trend. This is a foundation that will groom new leadership for Nigeria and the world. Our leaders lack mentorship and that is the problem. That is why they get into office and the next thing they do is stealing public funds.” Secondus added.
The Abubakar Kawu Baraje Foundation, according to its founder, is aimed at providing quality education at no cost to children of the less privileged in the society.
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