ILD: Senator Mustapha seeks increased investments in education
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
Senator Saliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, has advocated increased investment in Nigeria’s education sector in order to enhance literacy across the country.
In a statement on Monday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, to mark the 2025 International Literacy Day, Senator Mustapha stressed the need for deliberate policies to align with UNESCO’s literacy targets.
The lawmaker, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production Services and Rural Development, also appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider its planned strike, warning that a
strike could severely undermine the country’s educational progress and jeopardise the future of the students.
He, therefore, urged ASUU to return to the negotiating table with the federal government to iron out grey areas.
“Nothing meaningful can be achieved amid endless disputes. We must put Nigeria’s interest above all else,” the senator admonished, emphasising that continuous conflict only weakens the nation’s learning institutions.
Beyond conflict resolution, Senator Mustapha underscored the necessity of better remuneration for teachers nationwide, a measure he believes will significantly boost literacy rates.
He reaffirmed his own contributions to education, including free JAMB, WAEC, and NECO scholarship initiatives, as well as full university scholarships for approximately 200 students within and beyond his constituency.
Mustapha further announced the launch of another round of full university scholarships as part of his sustained efforts to elevate literacy and educational attainment in his constituency and Kwara State as a whole.