Senator representing Kwara North Senatorial District at the Upper legislative chamber, Sadiq Umar, has said the country’s health and education sectors will continually witness strikes unless the economy improves.

Umar, who is the Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, urged those in the two sectors to live by the existing reality of paucity of funds in the nation’s economy.

The lawmaker spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State on “Newskeg”, a Kwara NUJ correspondents’ interview programme while speaking on his scorecard as a member of the 9th Senate.

He faulted rightsizing of workers in the two sectors, proposing instead privatisation or a workable public-private partnership.

He said, “Education and health services are not to be the government’s responsibility alone. It should be the responsibility of every citizen. Incessant strikes occur here due to lack of proper equipment to work with.

“The stark reality is that the needed money to revamp these two most important sectors at once surpasses the whole budgetary allocations of the Nigerian economy. Currently, Nigeria is not rich. It is the bitter truth and a bitter pill to swallow.”

Bemoaning the country’s population growth amid an economic development supported by annual budgetary allocations of about N16tn, the senator said it could lead to economic crisis if not effectively managed.

He noted, “By 2050, the nation’s present population would double and therefore makes it one of the most populous nations of the world. The present budget of about N16tn if not improved upon before then will be difficult to drive Nigeria to its Eldorado.”

Umar also justified the borrowings by the All Progressives Congress-led government to finance projects in the country, adding that without development it would be tough for the nation to embark on projects.