Anyaoku wants FG to increase budgetary allocation to education sector

A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has called on the Federal Government to scale up its budgetary allocation to the education sector.

He said that would make the country to be on the same pedestal with other nations.

Anyaoku gave the advice at the 6th Annual Memorial Lecture held in honour of late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, a former governor of Ondo State, held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island in Lagos.

Anyaoku regretted that the current budgetary allocation to the education sector was below the standard set by UNESCO.

He also advised that informal education should be encouraged and embraced since they were tools for nation-building.

Also, the Lagos State Deputy Gov. Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, in his speech at the event called for the prioritisation of education to attract increased budgetary allocations.

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Hamzat said Lagos state was moving toward achieving the goal of feeding all its pupils.

He also said that Nigerians should embrace agriculture, adding that “agriculture is a major tool in developing any nation’s economy.

“Lagos State has acquired 3,000 hectares of land in Osun for the purpose of agriculture. We have also signed an agreement for the purchase of farmlands in Ogun.

“We are going to be producing 36 tons of rice daily; therefore, with time Lagos will produce enough rice to feed the nation,” he said.

Hamzat said that because of the increase in the production of rice and due to the stoppage of rice importation into Nigeria, some companies in China and Singapore had to be shut down.

He called on other state governments to emulate Lagos so that the expenditure on imported commodities would drop.