Half of Nigerians live in extreme poverty – AMEN President
By Ifeoma Ikem
Comrade Saviour Ichie, the National President of the Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) says half of Nigeria’s populations live in extreme poverty, according to estimates from the World Data Labs Poverty Clock.
Ichie said this during his community sensitization programme at the Ikotun area of Lagos state.
He asked the federal government to intervene and find a lasting solution to solve the high cost of food commodities across the nations.
“The government should also remove the import duty on raw materials, adding that this would allow small businesses to produce more at cheaper rates, create more employment and reduce poverty and crime in the country’’.
He noted that the populace can no longer tolerate the high cost of foodstuff and building materials saying, it needs urgent attention.
“The report on inflation rate did not reflect what is obtained in the marketplace, adding that the prices of goods and services have gone up by more than 100 percent’’.
Ichie said that Civil Society groups have been quiet on the issues bothering the nation on increase in essential commodities because their leaders have been compromised.
Reacting to the National Identity Management Commission’s ongoing registration exercise, he expressed dissatisfaction over the continuous extortion of Nigerians by some licensed partners and the horrible experience majority of them are having during the enrollment.
Comrade Chuks Nwajei, Mainland coordinator of Ambassadors for Peace and Enlightenment Foundation also appealed to the federal government to intervene over the rising insecurity across the nation.
He described the situation of continuous attacks by herdsmen, bandits, ritualists, and kidnappings by criminal groups as very worrisome.
“We are calling on our leaders to end bad governance and make Nigeria a safe place,’’ he said.
Another speaker, Miss Peculiar ChiChi, said the statistical rate of poverty in Nigeria is alarming and needs urgent attention.
“I am a young graduate with a business mind but I cannot access soft loan or bailout funds to set up a business that will enable thousands of youths to have jobs.
“How would the youth be happy with the leaders who do not care about them, many acquired skills after graduation, yet no funds to establish the businesses?
“Government should remember the youth, provide grants and stop playing lip services’’, she said
Comrade Muritala Kazeem said security and peace are important because economic and social development come only in a peaceful and secure nation.
“We need peace, the government must provide protection to the citizenry,’’ he noted