The United Political Parties Coalition (UPC) Suggests Urgent Fixes to Curb Skyrocketing Poverty Rates in Nigeria
Critics Slam Presidency over Dismissal of High Poverty Rate in Nigeria
In a bold statement, the National Secretary of the United Political Parties Coalition (UPC), Peter Ameh, has called for immediate action from the federal government following a vivid depiction of poverty's stranglehold on Nigeria by the World Bank.
According to Ameh, the World Bank's chilling report reveals a startling statistic: 75.5% of rural residents and 41.3% of urban dwellers in the nation are living below the poverty line. Shockingly, this leaves over 120 million individuals struggling to survive in abject poverty.
Ameh emphasized that the core of this financial crisis lies in Nigeria's reliance on oil exports, an unproductive economy, and infrastructure deficits. These systemic factors drive economic fragility, rising inflation, low job creation, and underinvestment in essential sectors like education and infrastructure. These issues, if left unaddressed, perpetuate a harmful cycle of poverty.
Denial from the Presidency won't resolve the problem, Ameh argues. Instead, he urges comprehensive reforms to tackle this escalating issue. The government must tackle the underlying inefficiencies, recognize the value of its brightest minds, and prioritize the well-being of its citizens, particularly children, to pave the way for sustainable development.
Economic diversification, investment in education and vocational training, infrastructure development, targeted interventions in rural areas, and implementing social safety nets and targeted nutritional programs are some of the essential reforms suggested by UPC. Additionally, the coalition advocates for an inclusive dialogue and evidence-based policies to empower the government to combat poverty and inequality systemically.
The UPC's recommendations are aimed at addressing the structural issues that contribute to Nigeria's high poverty rate, as suggested in the World Bank report. These measures are crucial to lifting households across the nation from economic shackles and providing them with better living conditions.
- The United Political Parties Coalition (UPC) proposed immediate action from the federal government, led by Tinubu as the President, to address the escalating poverty rates in Nigeria highlighted by the World Bank.
- Peter Ameh, the National Secretary of UPC, underscored the need for addressing the root causes of the financial crisis, including Nigeria's over-reliance on oil exports, an unproductive economy, and infrastructure deficits.
- In a bid to combat poverty and inequality, UPC suggested economic diversification, investment in education and vocational training, infrastructure development, targeted interventions in rural areas, and implementing social safety nets and targeted nutritional programs.
- Ameh also emphasized the importance of inclusive dialogue and evidence-based policies to empower the government to implement policy-and-legislation that would systematically combat poverty and inequality in Naija.
- The general news resonates with the dire state of health and well-being of many citizens in Nigeria, with over 120 million individuals living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank report, and politics must prioritize their needs for sustainable development.
