All hands must be on deck to eradicate poverty in Nigeria – Stakeholders
By Ifeoma Ikem
Some stakeholders urged that all hands must be on deck to help pull Nigeria out of extreme poverty.
They made the call at the International World Peace Advocate (IAWPA) event to commemorate the 2024 World Poverty day in Lagos.
The UNDP had reported that more than one billion people are living in acute poverty across the globe and that Nigeria is the second to the last.
Dr Bolaji Akinyemi, a guest speaker at the event noted that the major root of poverty is the deprivation of people’s access to basic necessities.
He said that the poor in Nigeria keep struggling for basic needs and there is no solution in sight to lift them out of extreme poverty.
“The poverty level across all the country is alarming, for the giant of Africa to overtake India, a country seven times its population is so worrisome.
`”We need to expand our economic opportunities and embrace technology which will end poverty in Nigeria.
“Technology will help to improve the country’s economic productivity and opportunities for its citizens.
He called for more investment in human capital to create more jobs for women and young people.
“We have to get the mind, which is a place of moral and educate the hands, which is where skills take place.
“So that if you can’t get something to do with your head, you can find something to do with your heart.
“If you can’t find something to do with your mind, you can get something to do with your hands, he added.
He urged the government to increase access to financial opportunities to people in the rural communities and advance technological innovations across the nation.
Amb Prof Chidi Eheriodo, the Director of IAWPA said Nigerian need to come home to restructure, promote and develop the youth with skills and mega resources.
” Youths are the future of the country, now is the time for us to salvage the nation.
“No one is going to do it for us, we have to come together, reason together and forget about palliatives’’.
HRM Dr Eberechukwu Kanu Oji in his goodwill message noted that poverty is a challenge that needs to be tackled or it will tackle us.
“About 4.29million people are living in extreme poverty and Nigeria has the largest number in Africa.
“With deep sense of responsibility as a royal father, with all these information, they show that this is the best time to act.
“In the 19 communities in Arochukwu, Abia state, we have a special youth empowerment programme where all the youth get grants.
“The programme is to empower youths and eradicate poverty, when the youths are empowered, there would be no reason for them not to succeed and the future secured’’.
He reiterated that when youths are empowered, their future is guaranteed.
“Work is going on in my communities; we are constantly giving orientation to youths on the importance of sport, fighting drugs and cultism.
“Most importantly, we train them to become leaders in the society. If other zones would emulate our programmes, poverty would be reduced to the barest minimum, he added
