By Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima has revealed plans of the State Government to invest a total of $20bn on free and compulsory education for all in the region which have suffered terror attacks in the past years.
He made this known in Abuja on Monday at the 2017 Murtala Muhammed Memorial Lecture with the theme: “Humanitarian Crises and Response in a Plural Society: What role for leadership?’
He disclosed that the plan will cover the over 20,000 children orphaned by the dreaded insurgents, boko haram.
He said new schools will be constructed to make available conducive environment for teaching quality education.
He also mentioned that the plan will be backed by proper legislation.
“We have a moral obligation to provide education to the vulnerable because it is the most powerful weapon used to change the world; it is the greatest enabler within a generation.
“If we fail to take care of these orphans, believe me, in 15 years down the line, these orphans will definitely take care of us.
“There is a direct collaboration between violence, poverty and illiteracy; they provide the perfect mix to produce the perfect mix that will consume all of us.
“When people have little or nothing positive to expect in their tomorrow, they will not see reasons to preserve themselves for tomorrow and a hopeless person in a state of lack does not mind dying.
“Unless we wear our thinking caps as leaders, the future is very bleak,’’ Shettima said.
He called on Nigerians to shun conspiracy theories, which had become a weapon of national destruction, explaining that insurgency thrived with the help of conspiracy theories.
“The most critical experience and lesson I have had and learnt has been the power of conspiracy theories and how they undermine the fight against insecurities and the management of the humanitarian crises”
