Nigerian Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan has said Nigeria needs to invest heavily in education and security and not only depend on oil.
According to him, it was time for the country to diversify its economy, stressing that education and security are not the foundation of the development of every country but are imperatives necessary for greatness.
Lawan stated this while speaking in Calabar on Friday when he met with APC ahead of next week’s delegates’ meeting in Abuja.
“Nigeria needs to invest more in education and security. This is because there is an urgent need for diversification, and not to depend on oil only.
“If you look at a country like Singapore, they had almost nothing but they invested in their youths through education and that turned their fortunes around.”
The Senate President also spoke on a knowledge-based economy which he said can only be built on education because it opens many doors of opportunities.
“The sons of the poor and rich people should be able to go to school in Nigeria. This will make our economy better. If we have trained people and intellectual individuals then we will grow beyond imagination.”
Emphasising security, he said the government will need to unleash total federal might against criminality, especially banditry and insurgency in the northern part of Nigeria.
He said APC has been able to recover the 16 local government areas captured by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno and Yobe States.
“The insecurity issue in the country deserves total attention.
“Federal government should unleash all the federal might to quell insurgency, banditry and even the militancy in the Niger Delta.
“In the 9th Assembly, we have given utmost attention to all military and security requests, signifying the importance we attach to security.”