By Adama Ejura & Esther Mark
Executive Chairperson of Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Mrs Ifueko Okauru has described education of the masses as a strategic tool for achieving national development.
She stated this while delivering the 24th Convocation Lecture of the University of Jos entitled “National Development – The Tipping Point”.
The guest lecturer who is the first woman to give a convocation lecture at the university, said education of the mind combined with technical and vocational education is essential to national development.
She argued that such education should strive to reach the levels of quality, access and competitiveness required in a global world bearing in mind that Nigeria is no island.
She said that the tipping point of national development is the power of a few to effect change positively or negatively adding, “education should be the tipping point of social change embraced by all in recognition of its role in all endeavours.”
Okauru observed that corruption is practiced at all levels of society and called for more practical and vivid solutions through provision of employment, development of talents at an early stage and inculcation of a traditional value system.
She concluded the lecture by calling on those present to reflect on how to plan, advance and add value to the country.
