Mimiko Urges Bigger Push for Health and Education Funding

Former Ondo State Governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko called for stepped-up government spending on public health and education during a convocation lecture at Confluence University of Science and Technology in Osara, Kogi State, on Friday. He warned that poor investment in these areas blocks Nigeria’s growth despite rising revenues from reforms. The talk, titled “Ill-health and Illiteracy: Siblings’ Alliance Against Development,” highlighted how malnourishment stunts 40 per cent of children under five.

Mimiko praised the current administration’s steps in health and education but demanded faster action. He pointed to gains from ending fuel subsidies, unifying exchange rates, and tax changes set for 2026 as chances to pour money into human skills. Without this shift, the nation’s future stays dim, he argued.

He suggested reworking the free school meals scheme with clearer federal rules and state-led rollout. Local leaders would handle daily feeding, making sure every child gets at least one egg a day. Such a simple rule would track progress easily and lift the livestock sector.

Mimiko stressed that public policies like tariffs and subsidies must spark industrial growth. As state coffers fill, leaders should steer funds straight to clinics and classrooms. This alone can build the sharp minds Nigeria craves for real progress.

The pleas hit hard for families watching children fade from hunger or drop out of school. In a land of promise, every missed chance in health and learning steals a brighter dawn from the innocent.