Aig-Imoukhuede: Government alone can’t tackle poverty

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, vice chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria, says individuals and private sector need to assist the government to tackle poverty.

Speaking at a policy forum held in Lagos, Aig-Imoukhuede asked people to come together and fight poverty.

“The government alone cannot deliver the resources we need to win the fight against extreme poverty,” he said.

“We must create multiple entry points to allow local and global influencers come together and make a difference. Innovative financing models, creative partnerships and new technology is what this movement to end poverty must deliver.”

Tunde Folawiyo, chairman of Global Citizen Nigeria, said achieving Nigeria’s pledge to lift 100 million people out of poverty in the next decade will only be possible if the public sector, private sector and civil society collaborate closely. 

On his part, Mick Sheldrick, co-founder of the movement which said it is targetting how to use a collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030, said the world needs $350 billion  annually to end extreme poverty and achieve the Global Goals in the 59 poorest countries by 2030.

“And as we’ve seen, each year we do not meet this cost, more people will fall into poverty and the cost of inaction will go up,” he said.

“That’s why 2020 must be a year of urgency where we remind the world’s governments and businesses of the budget gap facing the goals, they all signed up for. We look forward to working with the Nigerian private sector to help drive progress toward the Goals.”

In a statement, Global Citizen said on September 26, 2020, it will have a historic live broadcast event which will showcase simultaneous festivals in Lagos and New York, as well as satellite events in Seoul, Korea, and to be announced cities in Latin America and Europe. 

The event, the movement said would see the worlds of pop, policy, and business unite to create unprecedented change and lasting impact. 

The group said it is set to mobilise $2 billion to impact the lives of women and children in Nigeria.

“The campaign in Nigeria aims to exceed this, by mobilising billions in commitments for Nigeria. Specifically, $2 billion of the money allocated to Nigeria will be used to impact the lives of millions of impoverished women and girls,” the statement read.

“The campaign will feature a series of events throughout 2020, culminating with the global events on September 26, 2020.”