Rivers State Commissioner for Education and Professor of Law, Kaniye Ebeku, says Covid-19 pandemic exposed the poverty in many critical sectors in the country.
Professor Ebeku made the disclosure on Thursday while delivering a keynote address at an annual conference organized by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology (RIVCOHSMAT) in Port Harcourt.
Speaking on “Covid-19 Pandemic And The World Economy: The Nigerian Perspective”, Professor Ebeku noted that pandemic devastated the world economy and demystified supposed world powers, and exposed the lapses confronting many important sectors in the country, including the education sector.
Professor Ebeku also noted that while some countries quickly switched to digital learning, at the announcement of the closure of physical classes to contain the spread and contact of the virus, schools in Nigeria struggled to switch to e-learning.
However, the state through the Ministry of Education swiftly introduced a digital learning program, Stay Safe Continue Learning Programme for Pupils and students in Primary and Secondary schools.
He explained that the virus which ravaged countries also cause a surge in the level of poverty in the Nigeria nation, leading to an increase in insecurity.
Professor Ebeku also stated that the closure of the economy by the sit-at-home orders at the heat of the pandemic sapped the economy without doubt, leaving many jobless, altering academic calendars and revealed the weakness of our health sector.
According to him, “Covid-19 caused the Nigeria economy to go into recession in 2020, it increased the cost of goods and services. It Snowballed the level of poverty and it caused the collapse of the Nigerian currency, having regard to the exchange rate with the international currencies such as the pounds sterling and the US Dollars”
Speaking further, Professor Ebeku pointed out that the pandemic also had an adverse effect on oil revenue, following the physical closure of operations which led to a decrease in oil revenue.
The Education Commissioner also noted that while some countries in the world are recovering from the overwhelming effect of the pandemic, the Nigerian economy seems subdued and helpless.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Provost of the host institution, Professor Franklin Nlerum, welcomed members of the ASUP to the College.
He said the conference, the first of its kind in the history of the College, seeks to expand the knowledge of members of staff.
In his welcome address, ASUP Chairman of the College, Dr. Richard Iloma, revealed that the conference will critically interrogate issues around Covid-19 pandemic in order to provide sound solutions through diligent and rigorous research process.
The opening ceremony of the 3-day conference (6-8 October 2021) was well-attended by ASUP members both within and outside Rivers State.
