Says Nigeria dangerous place to give birth
El-Rufai faults claims
Security my major problem – Buhari
By Abdullahi M. Gulloma, Abuja and Sanusi Muhammad, Gusau Co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, has faulted federal government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), saying it does not reflect people’s needs.
Speaking at the expanded National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Investment in Human Capital in Abuja, Gates said government’s emphasis was more on physical capital development rather than human capital development.
“The Nigerian government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan identifi es” investing in our people” as one of three “strategic objectives.
” But the “execution priorities” don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritising physical capital over human capital,” he said.
He said investment in infrastructure and competitiveness must go hand in hand with investments in people, stressing that the country would thrive better with strong investment in health and education, and not physical infrastructure.
Gates, who said he does not enjoy “speaking bluntly” to Nigeria when the people had been “so gracious enough “to invite him, stressed that statistical data showed the country “still looks like a lowincome country.
” He, therefore, urged authorities in the country to “face the facts so that you can make progress.
” Taking a comparative analysis of data to back his arguments, he described Nigeria as “one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth” with “one in three Nigerian children, chronically malnourished.
” Nigeria, he said, has the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world, only ahead of Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad.
“In upper middle- income countries, the average life expectancy is 75 years.
In lower middle – income countries, its 68, in low- income countries, it’s 62, in Nigeria, it is lower still, just 53 years,” he said.
Gates said the country would thrive if it is ready to invest in the health, education and opportunities – the human capital, adding that “if you don’t, however, then it is very important to recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow.
” Citing the gains Nigeria has recorded in the immunisation against polio, Gates urged authorities in the country to pursue human capital development with the same vigour in order to achieve the desired results.
He said the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed over $1.6 billion with the foundation’s biggest office in Africa located in Nigeria, adding that the foundation is committed to making lives better for the poor people globally and would increase its commitments to Nigeria.
El-Rufai kicks But Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has faulted Gates’ claim, describing it as erroneous.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, El-Rufai said, “on the review of ERGP as suggested by Gates, it is not correct to say that the economic recovery and growth plan does not give primacy to human capital, it is not correct.
“The economic recovery and growth plan has enough provision for human capital; it is a federal government plan.
What is needed is for states to have similar plans as well as adequate provisions for healthcare and education, because the bulk of the burden for healthcare and education really rests on state governments.
“The disease burden of the country is largely at the primary healthcare level, and this primary healthcare system is broken completely, we need to rebuild it.
It is the responsibility of the states rather than the federal government.
The federal government incentifi es with funding grants and aids.
“But essentially, routine immunisation, primary healthcare, is the responsibility of the states.
So it is not gaps in the ERGP that we are looking at.
It is appealing to state governments to provide more money in basic education, primary healthcare.
“The United Nations recommends that we should budget at least 26 percent of our total budget on education, many state governments are doing that or near that.
Kaduna state has done averagely 35 percent in the last two years.
” El-Rufai also called for the implementation of National Health Insurance Act as passed by the previous administration.
“The National Health Insurance Act was passed by the previous administration, and it provided for a first line charge on the consolidated revenue of one percent to be set aside to fund largely, primary healthcare and basic health care.
“The objective is for us to achieve universal health coverage.
Unfortunately, since the enactment of that law, the budgeting for basic healthcare provision has not been done.
This year, our hope is that we have been assured by the leadership of National Assembly that as they are working on the 2018 budget, that one percent will be provided.
“Essentially, that one percent will be passed on as grants to states for spending on immunisation and primary healthcare delivery and if that is that, it will go a long way in improving healthcare delivery.
“Dangote has proposed a noble idea if I may say so, of introducing something similar to a company education tax.
As you know, companies pay a fraction of their profits as education tax fund, which is what we use largely to fund tertiary institutions.
”
Security challenge worries Buhari Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concerns over the growing insecurity in the country, describing it as major obstacle to the nation’s growth and development.
He therefore directed security agencies to improve their strategies of intelligence gathering, surveillance and accuracy in deployments, and ensure that criminal activities are brought to an end.
The president gave the directive yesterday at an interactive meeting with political leaders, traditional rulers, elders and victims of criminal attacks in Zamfara state, Gusau, during a one-day visit to the state.
“As far as I am concerned, our security agencies have recorded some successes, but they need to do much more.
They are not to oppress anyone, but they have to gather and send intelligence and warnings when something is about to happen,” he said.
The president commended the security agencies for eliminating a dreadful criminal, “Buhari general’’ who had for many years initiated killings and destruction of properties.
The president noted that “before “Buharin-daji”, who calls himself a general, there was a criminal who killed many people and he was killed; “Buharin–daji’’ has followed him and others like them should also follow.
” He said the threats to lives and property would be significantly reduced with improved relations among community leaders, citizens and the security agencies.
“I have come here to commiserate with you over loss of lives and property.
We will continue to do our best to improve the security situation.
However, those committing atrocities live with you.
Some of these people are not reported because you don’t trust the security outfits, instead you report back to the criminals.
We should give priority to security,” he said.
The President warned that the ongoing war against corruption will be reinvigorated and sustained until public officers, who abused their positions, faced the wrath of the law.
He also told the elders and traditional rulers that properties that had been confiscated by security outfits from some suspected corrupt public officials will be sold out, after the completion of court procedures The President urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing reforms in the agricultural sector, pointing that the era of depending on petrol will one day come to an end.
On herdsmen attacks, the President said there was a need to revisit and review the old grazing area arrangements that guaranteed harmonious relationship between farmers and herdsmen, where differences were amicably resolved through the law without violence.
