President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed the need for private sector partnership in the development of the education and health sectors, if Nigeria must develop.
He said though Nigeria was challenged from all fronts, it needed urgent intervention in education and health sectors.
Buhari made the statement during Sir Emeka Offor 2020 National Books/Education Materials and Medical Equipment Distribution Programme held at Oraifite, Anambra on Friday.
Respresented by the Minister of state for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the president noted that the nation required partnership with privileged Nigerians and corporate bodies to tackle development problems.
He said that government was pleased with the efforts of Chief Emeka Offor in tackling problems faced by Nigerians.
“Emeka Offor does not only take care of the poorest of the poor, help people irrespective of their tribes and religion across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
He described Offor as a `huge asset’ to Nigeria and Africa, noting that government was encouraged by his kind gesture.
Sir Emeka Offor Foundation listed a total of 319 educational institutions and seven libraries across Nigeria to benefit from 1.460 million textbooks for distribution in year 2020 programme.
The educational institutions, comprising 80 Universities, 22 Polytechnics, 37 Colleges of Education, 7 Public libraries and 180 primary and secondary schools.
Sir Emeka Offor, founder of the foundation said that his foundation and Books for Africa USA had spent more than $30 million dollars on education materials distributed to schools and libraries in Nigeria and 18 other African nations in the past nine years.
Offor said the gesture was aimed at eradicating illiteracy and improving the reading culture of the people.
He also said the aim was intended to provide a knowledge warehouse for the children and future generations of Africa as well as to support government at all levels in improving educational infrastructure for effective teaching and learning.
He said the foundation would distribute medical equipment in100 containers of 40feet size to designated hospitals and health institutions in this year’s programme.
The founder disclosed that 14 out of the 100 containers had arrived, and promised that all health institutions listed would get their consignments.
Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, commended Offor for his immense contributions to the educational and health sectors of the country.
He described the gesture as worth emulating, while calling on government to support the foundation.
Gov Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, who also spoke said he was challenged by Offor’s open heart to help people irrespective of where they came from.
He said his state needed support in the areas of education and health due to the consequences of the activities of Boko Haram.
Prof. Anthony Ivwuegbe, Chief Medical Director, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, who represented the Minister of health said education and health were two critical sectors that required more attention.
He said Nigerians must work with government to ensure its growth.
Prof. Augustine Uwakwe of Gregory University, Uturu one of the universities that benefitted from the gesture thanked Offor and called on other privileged Nigerians to emulate him. (NAN)
