Charity Walks Organize Sensitization Programme for United Nation Day
Charity walk a non-governmental organisation have organized a sensitization programme to mark the 25th anniversary for International Day for Eradication of poverty tagged “Answering the call of October 17 to end poverty: A path towards peaceful and Inclusive societies” which was declared by the United Nations in 1992.
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Yakubu Dogara who was present at the programme said that there could not have been a better period to organize the sensitization programme because Nigeria has been experiencing poverty arising from many factors including the recent economic recession.
Giving the data from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, Honorable Dogara revealed that 112 million out of the 167 million of the country’s estimated population still languish in poverty which is unacceptable to the standard of the country.
He explained that Nigeria as a country has started setting up several programmes, policies and institutions such as Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Green Revolution, Better Life for Rural Women, National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) and so many others to eradicate the menace of poverty.
He also explained that some of the programmes have not been successful due to a variety of reasons such as inadequate funding, lack of coordination and commitment, lack of continuity occasioned by regime change, corruption and so many other reasons.
He revealed that the National Assembly is presently processing a bill that seeks to create National Poverty Eradication Commission which is aimed at maintaining outreach with donor organizations, create safety nets for the poor and ensure sustainable implementation of poverty eradication programmes among other things.
He maintained that poverty is a serious malaise that has far reaching consequences on any society by saying: “In Nigeria Parlance, ‘poverty is a disease’. We all have a duty to work towards eliminating poverty by the year 2030 as enunciated in the Sustainable Developments Goals”.
He further stated that the theme for this year’s International Day for Eradication of poverty is a sure path to peace building because a society with satisfied basic needs will not turn to violence in solving its problems.
He proposed to dignitaries present at the programme to focus more on integrated human development policies, greater participation of the media in in highlighting opportunities for the poor and providing affordable quality education for the poor and less privilege.
