Oshiomhole, an asset to Nigeria – Reps

The Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, has described the contributions of Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to the development of modern Nigeria as unquantifiable.

Suleiman stated this in Benin Tuesday when he led other members of the Committee on a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Benin City.

“:We want to particularly thank the people of Edo state and the government headed by you for what you have achieved. I say this because you have spent your life traversing the nooks and crannies of this country fighting for and on behalf of all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, colour, creed and religion.

“You have been a pan-Nigeria leader. At the end of the day, you accepted to come back after becoming the NLC President to become a governor. To us, it is humility in display and I say this to appreciate the people of Edo state first for the confidence they reposed on you,” he said.

Suleiman informed the governor that his Committee had gone round the state and have seen the developmental efforts of the state government.

“We are here and many of us are satisfied with what we see. Those of us who are familiar with Edo state have continually wondered where you manufactured the funds to do what you are doing in the state. Your fight against poverty and your drive for human capital development is actually second to none in the face of zero resources, because Edo state is only an oil producing state probably by name; if the resources accruing to oil producing states are anything to go by. Yet, you have utilised the little you are receiving judiciously well to further earn our respect.

“I want to say on behalf of the Committee that you have a huge followership in the House of Representatives, who believe in your style irrespective of the political leaning and I think at the appropriate time when the need arises, we will make use of that political advantage. The House of Representative is one classical example of a house that does and act in the National interest irrespective of the political party,” he told the governor.

He further described governor Oshiomhole as one of the persons who truly and sincerely respects and believes in the oneness of the country, adding that, he had suffered “enough deprivations, denials and brutality on behalf of Nigerians but Nigerians can still benefit from his services in the next few years.”

Governor Oshiomhole who declared that the Education Committee is easily the most strategic in addressing the future of education in Nigeria, stated that “primary education is the foundation of education in the country and if we don’t get it right at the primary level, we can’t get it right at the secondary level and if we don’t get it right at the secondary level, obviously, the tertiary level will be there by signboards.”

Lamenting on the state of education that he inherited, the governor said; “the picture of what I saw was that the previous government have privatised primary and secondary education by refusing to invest in primary and secondary education and as a result of that even the poorest of the poor have to find a way to send their children to private schools.

“If we don’t pay attention to education, this country is finished. Some of the crises we are dealing with today are the consequences of complete negligence of successive governments over the years.

“When people think because they are privileged, they can provide for themselves and their immediate family and neglect the good of the larger society, they are only short sighted.

“I am convinced that it is in our interest, all of us in privileged positions to refocus public policy in a way to secure our tomorrow and invest more in education. We must redefine and revisit our concept of free education to include free qualitative education.

“I also believe that Nigeria need to have an objective conversation on education policy. Beyond politics and political divides, it does not seem to me that all of us in leadership are demonstrating enough courage and sufficient concerns to deal with these issues.