…Says partnering with voluntary agencies to develop education and other sectors, will help us build a new Nigeria
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the last general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has said that the Nigerian government has neglected the most critical sectors in the country.
The former Anambra State governor listed Education, Health, and Poverty Eradication as the most critical sectors in Nigeria.
The 62-year-old businessman disclosed this at the National Convention of the Old Boys of Nsukka High School (Anglican Grammar School), Nsukka, Enugu State.
Recall that Obi attended Christ the King College, Onitsha, but loves to see Nigerian schools compete with Western schools, in terms of quality, environment and otherwise.
His love for education and other critical sectors has made him donate millions of Naira used in setting up colleges and building hospitals in the country.
However, advising the Old Boys of Nsukka High School, Obi said partnering with voluntary agencies to develop education and other sectors, will help Nigerians build a new nation.
His words: “Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to interact with the old boys of Nsukka High School (Anglican Grammar School), Nsukka, at their National Convention 2023.
“I shared with them how, as the Governor of Anambra State, I partnered with voluntary agencies to develop the most critical sectors of Education, Health, and Poverty Eradication. Due to the government’s apparent neglect of these most critical sectors across the country, many voluntary agencies have continued to fill the gap by providing Educational and Health Services through Schools and hospitals. In the case of Anambra State, I partnered with these voluntary agencies to rebuild facilities in the then-dilapidated Education sector in the State.
“I commended the Old Boys for their efforts and support to maintain a good standard of education in the school while urging them to do more. I also explained to them the concept of planned giving through which the alumni of an institution can raise funds, continuously for their school. I advised that, If adopted, the plan would help them realise enough funds to carry out projects in the school.
“For example, if you say they require 10 to 20 million Naira, annually, to maintain facilities in the school, and have over 400 registered members of the Old Boys association, at the moment, then if each member contributes on average, N50,000, even though some will contribute more, they are sure of generating N20 million yearly, and considering that the school has many successful old boys, the planned giving would be easy to implement. I also pledged to participate in the planned giving as I am already doing for so many schools, because such support for education, even from private individuals, will greatly help our national development and help us to build the New Nigeria of our dreams”.
It would be recalled that Peter Obi of the Labour Party came third in the last presidential election with 6,101,533 votes, while President Bola Tinubu won the election with 8,794,726 votes.
Atiku polled a total of 6,984,520 votes in the election, while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.
Obi is enthusiastic about a new Nigeria and he has been doing everything to ensure it works.
