'Mass Participation, Antidote to Poverty'

from All Africa

This Day (Lagos)

NEWS

By Abimbola Akosile
Lagos

Eradicating absolute poverty globally is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations, where at least fifty percent of the world population of over six billion people are expected to have access to adequate food by 2015, in over 204 countries of the world.

Nigerians have been called upon to 'Stand up' and 'Speak out' on October 16 and 17 against poverty, to mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Both local and foreign civil society groups and other stakeholders are bent on breaking the world record of 23 million participants set in 2006, by asking people all over the country to stand up and speak out against poverty and inequality and for meeting and exceeding the MDGs.

Various organisations and networks are currently involved in creating awareness on the poverty issue, which has assumed a frightening dimension in Nigeria.

With billions of dollars coming in daily in form of Diaspora remittances, proceeds from crude petroleum and gas exports, and via Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the general viewpoint of concerned citizens is, Nigeria has no business being poor.

The call to Nigerians from all works of life is being coordinated by the Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGOs), led by Mr. Oyebisi Babatunde Oluseyi, the advocacy and campaigns coordinator, supported by Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Chairman of the 'Make Our Money Work for Us Campaign'.

NNNGO is the first generic membership body for civil society organisations in Nigeria that facilitates effective advocacy on issues of poverty and other developmental issues.

Other concerned groups include the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), a global alliance of International NGOs, grass roots organisations, trade unions, community groups, women's organisations, faith groups, youth groups, local associations and other campaigners working together across more than 100 national coalitions.

GCAP is calling for action from the world's leaders to meet their promises to end poverty and inequality. The white band is the symbol and expression of solidarity against poverty.

In collaboration with the United Nations Millennium Campaign, GCAP is participating in a global attempt to break last year's official Guinness World Record for the largest number of people to "Stand Up Against Poverty".

By linking the stand up to the political demands in each country the record offers a great and verifiable statistic that GCAP can use throughout the year to support lobbying efforts and other mobilisations.

The network's belief is that on October 16 and 17, millions will demand an end to poverty and inequality and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Nigerians, who currently number around 140 citizens, have been urged to come together as one and speak out so loudly with voices that cannot be ignored.

The campaign is for everyone to spread the word and let all friends, family and neighbors know that the current group is the first generation that can end poverty, allegedly a historic opportunity that must not be missed.

Each participant's position would count and the echoed voices heard to further consolidate the efforts to make poverty history in Nigeria and the whole world at large by governments and the international community.

Sobering Statistics

Poverty, according to NAPEP, is severe deprivation resulting from a lack of access to economic empowerment to acquire the fundamental necessities of life including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, and basic education.

Around 53.6 million Nigerians (nearly 45 percent of the total population) go to bed hungry every night. Around 70 percent of the total 140 million citizens live below the globally acceptable survival line of one dollar or N127 per day.

Over 5 million youths are not employed. Nigeria is among the poorest countries of the world. Over 7million primary age children are out of school.

There are 201 children who will die by the age of 5 out of every 1000 born in Nigeria, while 800 pregnant women out of 100,000 are expected to die during child birth in Nigeria. 4.4 million Nigerians are living with HIV/AIDS

In the last ten years, extreme poverty has killed more people than all of the wars of the 20th century combined. The belief is that Nigerians have the ability and resources to end the daily tragedy of 50,000 unnecessary deaths, especially with back-up of the political will.

Globally, 2.8 billion people live on less than $2 a day, while 1.2 billion (a fifth of the world's population) live on less than $1 a day.

In Africa, just 8.5 percent of the potential market is currently being served; while over 60 percent of Africans have limited access to credit.

Village Solutions Strategy

Dr. Magnus Kpakol, popularly known as 'Chief Representative of the poor on behalf of Mr. President' was recently re-appointed as the National Coordinator of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP).

On October 9, NAPEP unveiled a new strategy to cope with and eventually overcome poverty in Nigeria. Kpakol, who spoke to media practitioners in Lagos quoted various statistics to back up his approach.

The new strategy, called the Village Economic Development Solutions (VEDS) reveals empowerment as the antidote to poverty; and that people are always poor because they lack tools and capacity.

The Village solutions is a community driven development programme designed by the Economic Growth and Development Centre (EGDC) and adopted by NAPEP).

It is a home-grown poverty eradication model for partnership with all tiers of government and the development partners; where the people are encouraged to lead community efforts at modernising their villages and promoting income generating activities for the masses.

VEDS, when fully implemented by all stakeholders, is expected to lead to modernisation of villages, target community development, ginger actual communal participation in economic and other social development; spur income generating activities in local villages; and ensure better appreciation of government's role in community development and modernisation.

Quoting from the National Bureau of Statistics, he said Nigeria's economic growth has turned stronger, rising from 5.4 percent in 2000 to 6.2 percent in 2005; while reforms that speed economic growth and include mass participation in the economic development process will help defeat poverty.

They lack empowerment in tools and techniques, innovations, management skills and new ideas, a voice and increased participation.

To him, in Africa, effective reforms across all countries will produce the commandments and ordinances for fighting poverty; while mass participation, not trickle-down, is the antidote to poverty.

Kpakol believed opportunities for mass participation are growing increasingly through various factors. These include palliatives, safety nets and other support facilities like catalytic mobilisation of resources by NAPEP, debt relief funds for achieving MDGs, entrepreneurial development by SMEDAN and skills development by National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

He identified principal challenges confronting the poor to include lack of access to capital (limited access to capital and collateral, limited standardisation and legal title); lack of access to information (prohibitive cost of and infrequent supply of information); and lack of access to stable markets which involves fragility of local community markets, poor local infrastructure, and limited development of local and distant markets.

On financing the poverty gap, Kpakol identified over 7,000 micro-finance institutions in the world; and insisted that no amount of government money can be enough in fighting poverty without the active participation of the people.

Another Mirage?

Nigerians and others all over the world will definitely stand up and speak out against poverty, given the significance of the topic and its impact on the world's poor population.

But the question is: will those listening understand and appreciate what is being said? Will they ponder on the poverty issue and the call beyond its potential record-breaking advocacy?

Will 'illegal' governments and unfeeling administrations sit up and employ active ways to ensure poverty eradication from the lives of their citizens? Only time will tell.

The target date for the MDGs actualisation (2015) is drawing nearer by the day, and eradication of poverty is a strong point among the targets. Nigeria, given her vast human and natural resources, must not be left behind. That is the true call