UN Says Urgent Action NeededTHE current 7.1 percent poverty indices released by the National Bureau of Statistics is viewed as major setback to global efforts to stem the tide of poverty within the framework of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).The disclosure has, therefore, become a major source of concern to both the United Nations and individual countries, which aim to reduce global poverty rate below15 percent by 2015.The United Nations Millennium Campaign, which reviewed this situation at the weekend, stressed that so much needs to be done to bring Nigeria back on track, and called for deliberate policies and urgent action to reduce the bane of extreme poverty in Nigeria.National Coordinator of the United Nations Millennium Campaign, Hillary Ogbonna said at a national workshop on the media and acceleration of the MDGs in Akwanga, Nasarawa, at the weekend, decried rising poverty in the country despite increased financial resources since the year 2000.'There has been over 300 percent growth in our revenue base. States have also increased revenue. Still Nigeria lags behind in MDGs in poverty and human indices. In 2000, when the MDGs were launched, poverty level was 54percent. Now statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics puts it at around 70percent. This is a threat to the MDGs,' he said.He was, however, optimistic that Nigeria could break out of the poverty trap, depending on the strength of national action and international support.Ogbonna also said that 'reducing poverty, unemployment and hunger still remains key challenge to improved livelihoods and prosperity in Nigeria. This will have a constraining effect on Nigeria's ability to achieve the seven other goals. Nigeria will continue to experience one of the highest levels of inequality between the rich and the poor.Formulation and implementation of appropriate and informed policy responses to correct the trend will be critical.'The food, security and nutrition situation will remain compromised; hence the need for a supportive enabling environment for food production in Nigeria. More people spend high proportion of their income on food and resource poor groups have become more vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity. Food and nutrition security need to be accorded higher priority especially in rural resource poor communities.'All hope, he observed, was not lost, as he proffered 'pro-poor growth initiatives through food production, productive employment and decent work as solutions that are fundamental to achieving this goal. Nigeria needs to actively pursue a National Jobs Pact in order to boost employment creation. Priority should be in the pro-employment sectors such as agriculture, rural infrastructure development, small and medium enterprises, and the informal sector.'He also called on Nigeria to enshrine the promotion of decent work ethics with gender considerations as well as that of youth and other vulnerable persons with disabilities.He stated that the United Nations Millennium Campaign Office was partnering the MDGs Office to prioritise and intensify poverty-reduction programmes and projects, as they relate to food production, nutrition and social safety nets schemes.
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