Education
A former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mr Felix Ogbaudu, has called for a reduction in politicians’ salaries and allowances.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, Ogbaudu said money consequently saved should be used to address security threats like kidnapping and banditry.
He stressed that there was the need to cut excessive spending on a group of Nigerians when national security challenges are as daunting as currently being experienced.
“We must provide adequate security in our schools, for instance.
“It is important to cut down on salaries and allowances of politicians to have enough funds to provide for infrastructure in our schools.
“The amount of money collected by only two senators in a month is enough to provide fencing for schools so that there will be access control,’’ the former AIG said.
Ogbaudu urged governments to prioritize education, stressing that the future of the country would be determined by the type of citizens it groomed.
He said a largely uneducated citizenry would not contribute meaningfully to economic development, particularly in today’s technologically advanced world.
“Rather than spending millions of Naira to send people on pilgrimages to Israel or Saudi Arabia, spend that money on education, build more schools, secure the schools and make sure no child is found roaming the streets.
“Any child found roaming the streets should be taken to school. Governments should make laws to back this up.
“In the absence of education, it will be difficult to change the mindset of people,’’ he stressed.
Ogbaudu, currently a security consultant, expressed concern that most sectors of Nigeria’s economy, including education and agriculture, were suffering greatly because of security challenges.
“Today we have insecurity in so many dimensions. People abduct school children, travellers, and all of that.
“We have never ever as a country prioritized security and prioritization of security is paramount.
“Prioritising security means increasing the strength and number of manpower who must be well-trained and well-motivated,’’ he said.
Ogbaudu called for a concerted effort to ensure that Nigeria remained the giant of Africa and that it took its rightful place in the comity of nations. (NAN
– MAY 05, 2021 @ 17:19 GMT
Tags: Former AIG wants slash in politicians’ salaries increase in security spending
