TheCable

The growing insecurity and high rate of unemployment in the country are the result of government’s failure to provide education for all, Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi said on Monday.

Speaking at the 2nd Progressive Governance Lecture Series of the All Progressive Congress (APC), titled Crisis in Nigeria’s Education Sector: Addressing The Connect Between Unemployment and Insecurity, Amaechi decried the high percentage of Nigerian children out of school, and he urged the government to address the issues.

“Nigeria accounts for 4.7% of out-of-school children. It is the responsibility of government to facilitate education. It is a big embarrassment that we are now the first from the negative and not positive,” he said.

“There are some policies which do not encourage growth. How can we budget 10% on capital expenditure and 90% on overhead and recurrent? Until we address poverty and unemployment, the issue of Boko Haram will continue.”

He also blamed politicians for exploiting the unemployed.

“Politicians irrespective of political parties exploit the unemployed. You see people going from one rally to the other,” Amaechi added.

“They won’t ask if it is PDP or APC, they would not, whether you are Muslim or Christian. All they want to know is you have the naira to spend. Naira has no religion.”

Amaechi identified corruption, lack of personnel management, and poverty as factors working against the interest of the country. He called on the government to redress the issues, saying: “Until we address poverty and unemployment, the issue of Boko Haram will continue.”

In his address, Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha implored Nigerians to support the federal government and all security agencies in their quest to counter terrorism.

He appealed that all differences be buried, saying: “No political party will benefit from this crisis. It is an ill-wind that can blow no one no good.”