Placing priority on education, health sectors

The recently resolved industrial action embarked upon by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, over delayed payment of the National Minimum Wage, brings back the issue of unconscionable neglect of social sector workers by typical Nigerian politicians.

After embarking on a prolonged strike, the teachers’ union called it off in March this year only to resume following the failure of the FCT Ministry to meet its demands. The Ministry came under intense public pressure when social advocates joined the mass actions. Over the past fortnight, it released the sum of N16 billion covering the arrears, and calm returned to the public education sector in the FCT.

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had set his eyes on massively upgrading the nation’s capital’s infrastructure, especially roads, bridges and public buildings over the past two years for which he received much praise, particularly from his principal, President Bola Tinubu.

Nigerian politicians usually place great emphasis on capital projects. Projects are also highly visible and beneficial for political capital.

The same cannot be said for investment into the social sector – education and health – which are direct investments into the people, the masses. Workers in these sectors are paid very low wages. They are also among the first group whose entitlements are abandoned at the slightest shock in the economic system. Schools and hospitals are derelict and ill-equipped. In many cases, teachers and doctors go for months, even years, without pay.

Sadly, the leaders protect themselves and their families from the consequences of their own neglect of the social sector by educating their children in expensive private schools in Nigeria and abroad. Some even shamelessly pose with them in the social media during graduations. Also, they hop abroad for treatments. Due to failure of regulation, they are not sure if the drugs for malaria or headaches are safe.

This is the picture of incompetent and bad governance. Anyone can award contracts, “flag-off” and “commission” projects. The real challenge of governance is being able to allocate resources to where they meet the needs of the people, particularly in education, health, agriculture, industrialisation and, of course, public amenities.

Only an educated and healthy population can sustain development. Neglecting the education and health sectors produces a fractured and multidimensionally-failing society like Nigeria with a huge gap between the rich and poor. This is why some of our best educators and health sector workers have fled abroad for greener pastures.

This trend must be halted. Let us return to the template of our First Republic leaders who prioritised people-based agenda such as education, health, public amenities and industrialisation.

We must also build the people, not just projects.

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