Can Nigeria Truly Tackle Extreme Poverty?

A new report by the World Poverty Clock has revealed that Nigeria has overtaken India as the country with the largest number of people living in extreme poverty in the world. At the end of May (2018), the survey showed that Nigeria had an estimated 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared to India’s 73 million. To you, can Nigeria truly tackle extreme poverty?  If yes, how?

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

* Yes, persistent poverty is due to income inequality, ethnic conflict, political instability and insecurity. We must develop the agricultural value chain that involves farming, processing, reduce instability and insecurity, and create vocational centres to train people in entrepreneurship development.

– Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

* Of course yes; if we all love each other unselfishly. All our problems are based on self-centredness; we are too greedy.

– Alhaja Adeyinka Akinjobi, London, UK

* All Nigeria needs to truly tackle extreme poverty is political will, sincerity and commitment. Without good strategy, with dishonesty, greed, insincerity and unwillingness to learn, we will continue to pay lip service. It’s time for bright and workable ideas.

– Mrs. Augusta Akparanta-Emenogu, Abuja

* Why are we poor? What did Ghana do to eliminate poverty? We need access to affordable credit to create wealth; education & research; infrastructural development in our rural areas; family planning re-orientation and access to healthcare would be a good start.

– Ms. Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos State

* Poor distribution of wealth is the major factor responsible for extreme poverty. Our national assembly is one of the highest paid in the world. The federal and state governments should immediately reduce the salaries of political office holders in order to reduce extreme poverty.

– Mr. Austine Nwanya, solid minerals consultant, Abuja

* Yes, Nigeria can if we get leadership right, with sincerity of purpose and drastic reduction of corruption in public service. The positive multiplier effects of the good policies and programmes of government will be felt.

– Mr. JohnKen Ogwuegbu, Owerri, Imo State

* Yes, Nigeria can tackle extreme poverty. There should be more emphasis on acquiring vocational and non-formal education. We should look at other ways of empowering Nigerians aside university attendance. In addition, there should be more credit to the poor.

– Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja

* Nigeria cannot tackle extreme poverty because of the killings going on, where farmers can no longer go to farms for fear of herdsmen with AK 47. The present government has to find lasting solution to extreme hunger quickly.

– Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna state

* Poverty is an aberration in a nation as endowed as Nigeria. To tackle poverty, all these political rascals must give space to true statesmen in the mould of Singaporean Lee Kuan Yew. Our leaders must address the abject poverty in the land for their own good.

– Mr. Paul Jideofor, Dept of Languages, FCT COE, Zuba, Abuja

* Yes. Poverty is quite avoidable. Food, shelter and clothing are the most basic needs of man, yet corruption, avarice, insincerity e.t.c have made life miserable for the hapless poor masses. Solution is anti-graft war or full justice. We must audit all workers to urgently explain their sources of stupendous wealth.

– Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State

* Government must provide employment through agriculture, provision of small scale/cottage industries, soft loans with low interest, and women empowerment through loans for petty trade.

– Mr. Bello S. Shuni, Vice-president, Dynamic Youth Organisation of Nigeria, North-West Chapter, Shuni, Sokoto State

* Yes. The factors of greed, insecurity, poor policies, unemployment, and infrastructure are pauperising citizens. Agriculture is best panacea to poverty eradication. Private sector participation, genuine foreign investments in agriculture and agro-allied industries etc must be prioritised. Monitored soft loans must be accessible for local farmers to succeed.

– Mr. Apeji Onesi, Lagos State

* With the resources at our disposal, we don’t need to dwell in poverty; if not for the bad leaders we always have in governance. The only way to end poverty in Nigeria is by electing God-fearing people.

– Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State

* Nigeria can truly tackle extreme poverty. It is a shame that Nigeria ranks far worse than India now. Those who stole our money are living large while almost three-quarters of the country’s population are dying. We have not learnt our lesson yet. We have every resource to survive on, if not for poor leadership.

– Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna

* Nigeria lacks the political will to tackle extreme poverty. To tackle poverty, a serious government must work with accurate statistical data. Government must remove bottlenecks in doing business, encourage small industry by granting unconditional subsidy, encourage Bank of Agriculture to give true loans, and improve security.

– Mr. Mark Ushie, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja

* Government has to revisit the current budgeting process, with a view to placing priority on the grassroots. More money should be spent on education and skills acquisition to spur production. Production of goods and services is the fastest way to empowerment and eradication of poverty.

– Mr. Anonymous, Lagos State

* Yes, Nigeria can tackle extreme poverty when governments at the federal, state and local levels work hard to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. Also, all Governors must sponsor the education of children from primary school to JSS3 as specified in section 15 of the Child Rights Act.

– Mr. Feyisetan Kareem, Ogwashi-ukwu, Delta State

* Yes, Nigeria can truly tackle extreme poverty with sincerity of purpose, sacrifice, patriotism and selflessness. We did it with Ebola; we can do it again. We have the resources both human and natural to reduce poverty to the barest minimum. God bless Nigeria.

– Mr. Odey Ochicha, Leadership Specialist, Abuja

* Government should invest more resources in developing skilled labour. Right from primary schools, a larger part of the school curriculum should focus more on vocational and entrepreneurship practical training. Invest in skills acquisition education, not white collar education that cannot create a productive economy that creates millions of jobs that kill poverty.

– Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State

* Yes, Nigeria can tackle extreme poverty by massively funding cottage industries to empower people at the grassroots and also by providing adequate electricity supply to power these industries. Then, those who flaunt stolen wealth should be punished to encourage honest labour.

– Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

* Nigerian has the capacity to tackle any form of poverty. It is just a matter of willpower to fix the infrastructures like light, roads and railway to revamp many industries and create jobs for the unemployed. If all the looted monies kept abroad are brought back and put into the economy, we will not be talking about poverty in the country.

– Mr. Nduanya Egbuna, Political Scientist, Enugu

THE RESPONSE

Yes, she can: 11

No, she cannot: 2

Others: 8

Radical tip: Slash salaries!

Total no of respondents: 21

Male: 17

Female: 4

Highest location: Abuja (7)

Next Week: Has Time Finally Come for State Police?

Given the spate of indiscriminate killings around the country, some analysts believe this is the ideal time to have State Police in Nigeria. To them, the need to ensure security of human lives far outweighs any fear of private armies controlled by governors or duplication of federal police duties. To you, is the time finally ripe for creation of State Police in Nigeria?   

Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (July 5 & Monday, July 9) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, July 12