Governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has underscored the importance of education and healthcare as key drivers that impact national development.
AbdulRazaq, who is also the chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), made this known at the presentation of the BudgIT 2023 State of States report with the theme ‘Subnational Healthcare Delivery for Improved Economic Development’.
He urged state governors to bring about positive changes that would benefit the people of their states.
”By focusing on these critical sectors, I believe that states would witness significant advancements and improved quality of life for its citizens,” he said.
He said that prioritising education and healthcare would result in significant improvements in these sectors.
“One of the key initiatives undertaken by the Lagos state is the implementation of digital devices in classrooms. Every classroom is equipped with tablets, providing teachers with a powerful tool to enhance their teaching methods.
“The tablets not only provide access to a comprehensive curriculum but also facilitate tracking and monitoring of student attendance and performance.
“This data-driven approach allows for better identification and addressing of issues such as student absenteeism and malnutrition,” he said.
To achieve this impressive transformation, he called on the states to seek inspiration from Lagos, Kaduna and Edo states that had successfully improved their education systems.
“For instance, Kaduna State took decisive action by sanctioning underperforming teachers and hiring qualified educators.
“Similarly, Lagos and Edo states employed the services of a company called New Globe, which provided tablets to every teacher, ensuring a more streamlined and effective teaching process.
“The impact of these measures has been profound. Not only have student outcomes improved, but the state has also experienced a remarkable turnaround in its relationship with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC),” he said.
He said that the Kwara was previously blacklisted by UBEC due to irregularities in school operations.
The state, he said, now has regained access to funding and support for its education programmes.
In his keynote address on the theme, “Subnational Health Delivery for Improved Economic Development, Dr Olumide Okunola, Senior Health Specialist of the World Bank Group said that the country was lagging in the demographic planning due to insufficient revenue generation, which hampers its ability to achieve positive health care outcomes.
Okunola said that there was a need to enhance the connections between the funds allocated and the resulting outcomes or achievements.
“We need to approach healthcare from a universal perspective and to grasp universality, we’d see that the number of poor and vulnerable individuals is growing daily due to factors like inflation, COVID-19, and global tensions.
“Why are we facing challenges in healthcare? We do not generate sufficient public funds to enhance health outcomes.
“The state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) potential is nearly non-existent due to heavy reliance on monthly FAAC allocations,” he explained.
The BudgIT’s 2023 State of States Report: Rivers came tops on the Fiscal Performance Ranking, Anambra joined Lagos, Kaduna, and Ebonyi in the Top 5; Zamfara, Bayelsa and Benue led at the bottom ranking.
In the 2023 edition, 36 states were ranked based on five metrics. Index A assessed their ability to cover operating expenses with Internally Generated Revenue. Index A1 looked at year-on-year IGR growth.
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