Peter Obi censures Federal Government for funding training of government officials amidst ASSU strike

The Federal Government has come under fire from the Labour Party's presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, for funding the training of public office holders while Nigerian university students are absent because of protracted strikes.

According to DAILY POST, pictures of Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, appeared online a few days ago when he was enrolled in a course at the Harvard Business School's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

The debate and breach between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, or ASUU, and the federal government brought to light Gbajabiamila's course at Harvard, which was purportedly financed by the government.

Since it has been five months and there is no sign of an end, the teachers' industrial action has kept students at home.

Obi, who complained about the treatment of Nigerian youngsters, particularly students, on his Twitter account on Thursday, called the development of leaders using public monies a mistaken focus.

He wrote, “Our students and future leaders are idling away at homes or in some undesirable places, while our government is spending millions in foreign currency, supposedly training public office holders in Ivy League universities across the world.

“Such misplaced priorities and government misuse of public funds are no longer acceptable, while the future of our youths is being neglected.

“As a matter of adaptive leadership, such training being sponsored with public funds should stop forthwith, until all our schools start functioning optimally. Meanwhile, such training, if need be, must be mandated to happen only within Nigeria. – PO”.

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