Poverty eradication programmes ‘have not impacted positively’

Members of the house of representatives say the poverty eradication programmes embarked upon by the federal government have not impacted the nation positively.

The statement was made on Tuesday after Muhammed Wudil, lawmaker representing Wudil/Garko federal constituency of Kano, moved for an urgent motion on the issue.

Wudil said: “Efforts of the federal government to eradicate poverty in Nigeria through the 2017 budgetary provision for the Special Intervention Fund to cater for unemployed youths, women empowerment and job creation has not impacted positively on the country.”

According to him, the 2016 UN report on Nigeria’s common country analysis (CCA) described the country as one of the poorest.

The lawmaker said the report showed that over 80 million Nigerians, about 64% of the country’s population, lived below $1.9 a day.

In his contribution, Mohammed Mongo, lawmaker representing Jere, in Borno, said the north-east is the least developed zone in the country and that poverty is endemic in the zone.

Mongo said the only way to eradicate poverty in the zone is by conscious investment in agriculture for job and wealth creation.

Hulayat Omidiran, representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan constituency of Osun, said the south-west is equally feeling the pains of hardship.

Omidiran said the poverty in the land was unusual and that people now beg for food without shame, a situation formerly unheard of in the zone.

She said lawmakers representing the zone were also feeling the pinch of extreme poverty in the area.

She urged the executive to ensure that poverty alleviation programmes got to the right beneficiaries.

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, representing Isuikwato/ Umunneochi constituency of Abia, said there was a need to address the basic issues of infrastructure.

Onyejeocha said in a situation where the government could not increase salary, cost of schools and hospitals could be subsidised to address extreme poverty.

She said the house must insist on 100% budget implementation, adding that 30% implementation was not acceptable.

The house urged government to promote the establishment of small and medium enterprises and to ensure the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs).