Victor EzejaPresidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr Peter Obi, has underscored the need for better access to clean, portable water and education for the good of over 200 million Nigerians.
Obi, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said that while the people wait on the government to provide pipe borne water, it is imperative that a short term measure be sort to address the challenge by way of individuals drilling boreholes as personal projects to provide water for the people.
He therefore appealed to people that have the wherewithal, who according to him could be around 200,000, to help in drilling at least one water borehole for the people in every part of the country every year.
He said: “I have found the continuous need for portable water across the country which is to provide pipe borne water. It may take several years but I urge the government to do whatever it can to start in that direction. But in the meantime, to have a short-term solution that can impact greatly, there is need to drill boreholes across the country.
“My appeal is to this 200,000 people to drill at least one borehole a year. This could cost between ₦5 to ₦10 million. Just one borehole a year and that would be 200,000 boreholes scattered all over the country and it would go a long way in solving this problem, while we wait for the government to do portable pipe-borne water system.”
Obi said he has done about 10 boreholes and intends to do more to boost supply of water across the country.
On education, the former Anambra State governor, equally stressed that it is an important tool of development and equally appealed to the authorities to invest more in the sector in the country.
Obi called for an overhaul of the almajiri school system in the northern part of Nigeria to integrate Western education such as English, STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics), with Koranic studies to help the people acquire vital skills they need to make positive impacts in society.
This he said, would help in drastically reducing the number of out-of-school children across the county, especially in the north.
The LP presidential standard bearer, said there are future geniuses among the children in the almajiri schools that could be harnessed through quality education to enable them contribute to development of the country, and also prevent them from being involved in criminal activities.
He called on wealthy elites to see the need in supporting the education of almajiris.
He called on government at all levels to cut down waste and channel funds to critical development projects.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
