Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, on Tuesday, decried how lack of access to education has compounded myriads of issues faced in the North.
Yahaya, who doubles as Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, expressed the concern when he received members of the Northern States Governors’ Wives Forum at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House.
At the meeting were the wives of governors of Katsina, Niger, Taraba, Zamfara, Bauchi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Plateau, Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Adamawa states.
Addressing the first ladies, the Gombe governor said, “The Almajiri syndrome; out-of-school children, Nigeria is now having the highest number in the world. It’s very unfortunate that almost a quarter of the 21st century is gone and we are yet to key into the development agenda of the world. Nothing ever happens without education. It’s education that brings development, changes the tides and brings a good life to the people. We need to modernise, but can only modernise when we are educated.”
While urging for a concerted effort towards tackling the challenges, Yahaya harped on the need for prioritising education, healthcare and skills.
