Growing our GDP by Investing in Citizens

During the campaigns, one of the things I noticed in my tours all over Nigeria is the income disparity amongst the geo-political zones. I am not comfortable with disparity and I am committed to use every means possible to change the situation.

During the campaigns, one of the things I noticed in my tours all over Nigeria is the income disparity amongst the geo-political zones. I am not comfortable with disparity and I am committed to use every means possible to change the situation.

Now I requested for and studied data on the income disparity amongst our zones and was able to determine that the zones with the highest level of education have the highest GDP and Per Capita Income and it was therefore a no brainer that the key to upward mobility in income is education.

This is the reason why I have focused on education almost to the point of obsession.

Though it may take time, I see the income disparity closing because of the investments we are making in education that will see EVERY state have at least ONE federal university. Now we are not just focusing on tertiary education or even conventional education. This administration is also in the process of building over a hundred model schools specifically targeted at the itinerant scholars commonly referred to as Almajiri. This is even as we are poised to spend an unprecedented amount this year to expand our public schools to improve the quality of entrants into the university system and thus improve the quality of graduates Nigeria produces.

As I have often said, my approach to solving issues has always been by beginning with the end in mind. Yes, it may be expected by some that we should throw money at the problem, but I am convinced that that is only giving fish to the hungry. To solve the income disparity issues in Nigeria, I am convinced that it is better to teach Nigerians to fish. GEJ