By Victor Ikem
As the world marked
the 2018 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on the 17th of
October, it has become imperative to remind governments and policy actors in
Nigeria of the growing rates of poverty and the urgent need to reverse this
ugly trend through a well thought out and compressive strategy, policy and
programmes towards eliminating the causes of poverty in Nigeria.
While the debate generated by the Brookings
Institution’s World Poverty Clock report which rated Nigeria as a country with
the highest number of extremely poor people in the world, is yet to wane, it is
disturbing to see how the British Prime Minister, Theresa May at her recent
visit to Africa, described Nigeria saying much of Nigeria is thriving,
with many individuals enjoying the fruits of a resurgent economy, yet 87
million Nigerians live on less than $1 and 90 cents a day, making it home to
more very poor people than any other nation in the world.
