CHAIRMAN, Bill and Melinda Foundation, Bill Gates, yesterday
in Abuja, faulted the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan,
ERGP, saying though the government identified investing in the people as one of
its three strategic objectives, its execution priorities did not reflect
people’s needs. He also said Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the
world to give birth with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world,
ahead of only Sierra Leone, Central African Republic and Chad.
Gates, who stated this at expanded National Economic
Council, NEC, presided over by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said
Nigeria’s fiscal situation was at a low equilibrium, adding that in return for
low levels of service, people pay low levels of tax. The philanthropist
disclosed that his foundation’s biggest office in Africa was Nigeria, where he
had committed over $1.6 billion so far, with the intention of increasing his
commitment in the country. He said Nigeria had unmatched economic potential but
that what became of the potential depended on the choices its leaders make.
Gates said: “The most important choice you can make is to
maximize your greatest resource, the Nigerian people. Nigeria will thrive when
every Nigerian is able to thrive. “If you invest in their health, education and
opportunities, the human capital, we are talking about today, then they will
lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. 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. Nigeria one of most dangerous places to give birth “Nigeria
is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth, with the fourth
worst maternal mortality rate in the world ahead of only Sierra Leone, Central
African Republic and Chad. One in three Nigerian children is chronically
malnourished. “I urge you to apply this thinking to all your investments in
your people. The Nigerian government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan
identifies ‘investing in our people as one of three strategic objectives.’ But
the ‘execution priorities’ don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritizing
physical capital over human capital.
“To anchor the
economy over the long term, investments in infrastructure and competitiveness
must go hand in hand with investments in people. People without roads, ports,
and factories can’t flourish. And roads, ports and factories without skilled
workers to build and manage them can’t sustain an economy. “Right now,
Nigeria’s fiscal situation is at what you might call a low equilibrium. In
return for low levels of service, people pay low levels of tax. We hope to help
you reach a higher equilibrium rooted in effective and transparent investments
in people. This equilibrium would trigger a virtuous cycle.” Buhari’s
administration determined to rewrite Nigerian story In his remarks at the
expanded NEC attended by the business class, academia, traditional rulers and some
world bodies, Vice President Osinbajo said high oil prices and economic growth
of previous years had failed to translate into a better life for most
Nigerians.
According to him, instead, grand corruption prevented investments in
healthcare and education and infrastructure, and shamelessly robbed government
policies of most, if not all of their intended impact. Osinbajo, however,
assured that the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was determined to rewrite
the Nigerian story for the better. We’re investing in people through
ERGP—Osinbajo “It is this realisation that has helped ensure that one of the
primary planks of the ERGP is ‘Investing in our people.’ And it is for this
reason that we are expanding the reach and quality of our healthcare through
the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS; and working to guarantee basic
education for all persons, while also upgrading and modernising the quality of
secondary and post-secondary education. To compete globally, we must prioritise
investments —Dangote In his remarks, Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote,
told those in government should lead in human capital development, stressing
that when that was done, there would be committed Nigerians.
He said: “For Nigeria
to truly compete globally, we must prioritize investments in the health,
education and opportunity of our people, alongside other critical areas as
infrastructure. Together, these are the inputs that will make Nigeria richer.
“You, my friends in government, must lead. But when you do, you will have committed
Nigerians like myself joining in the effort. “In Nigeria, we have largely
achieved growth by extracting natural resources and are now building on that
through our physical infrastructure. But we must also remember that it is our
young people that will drive our future success.”
Nothing wrong with ERGP—El-Rufai In an interview with State
House correspondents, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of of Kaduna State insisted that
it was not the question of adjusting the ERGP but the budgeting system with
priorities set out clearly to address human capital development issues. He
explained that what Bill Gates and Dangote told NEC members was that government
at all levels also needed to do more. El-Rufai said yesterday’s NEC meeting was
the most important held since the government of President Muhammadu Buhari came
to power.
Photo: Dangote, Bill Gates and Osinbajo
Bill Gates spends $1.6bn in Nigeria, says Nigeria most dangerous place to give birth
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Friday, March 23, 2018
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