A University of Benin don, Prof. Ikudaisi Daniel Olorunfemi on Wednesday called on civil society groups in the country to protest against federal lawmakers, and ask them to refund the N36million they allegedly collect monthly for constituency projects with nothing to show for the amount collected.
The Professor of Environmental Management and Toxicology stated this while pointing out that the Nigerian government is not ready to fund schools.
He said the Nigerian lawmakers are only interested in buying wheel barrows, cutlasses, tricycles and other minor items for youths as empowerment despite the huge amount of money they collect monthly for constituency projects.
He lamented that there are no adequate budgetary provisions for education.
Prof. Olorunfemi, who spoke at the annual conference of the media and civil societies advocacy organized by the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ at Ugolo in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State said,”Government are not ready to fund schools.”
He stated that in line with the National University Commission’s guidelines, a teacher is not supposed to teach more twenty students in a classroom.
According to him, “We now have 500 students in a classroom today but when you ask them to pay,they are angry”.
Olorunfemi lamented that graduates are now taking up comedy as a profession.
According to him, “it is an aberration for Nigerian graduates to take to comedy as a professional career. “Graduates, lawyers and doctors have taken to comedy. Why did he go to school at all.”
The professor also called on the CSOs to collect and disseminate information as well as educate citizens and others through advocacy and ensure that government are held accountable.
“Without CSOs,we are in trouble. It appears it is only the CSOs government now fears,” he said.
Olorunfemi also gave journalists guidelines in covering or reporting the environments.
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