A former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, on Tuesday said poor physical infrastructural development was the reason for the slow economic growth and development in Nigeria.

Ezekwesili spoke in Abuja during the 6th annual lecture organised by a non-governmental organisation, Lifeline Care Association.

She said the citizens should consistently rise and challenge the government at all levels for a change in policies that were anti-people.

While delivering her keynote address entitled, ‘Population planning: Implication for Fiscal Policy, Human Capital and Infrastructural Development’, the former minister said physical infrastructure could increase the country’s economic growth by two per cent.

“Take the structure of the Nigeria population; more than 60 per cent are rural dwellers. When you have effective fiscal policy, it will translate low productivity farming activity into city-type urban related activities,” she said.

She noted that urbanization remained a factor of economic development.

The ex-minister added, “But when your population does not have the relevant skills and the tool of engagement because of lack of provision of infrastructure to enable them to convert their creativity into production, it becomes a challenge.”

Ezekwesili however warned that the elites must provide an enabling environment for the growth of the ordinary people to avert a situation where “the rich cannot sleep because the poor are awake.