The report by the National Bureau of Statistics that about 133 million Nigerians live in poverty would be a recipe for a new dimension of hunger never witnessed in Nigeria, a civil society organisation under the aegis of the International Human Rights Commission warned on Friday.
While describing the report as a warning of a looming economic crisis in the country, the not-for-profit body, stressed the need for government to empower people in the rural communities to reduce the rising poverty in Nigeria.
The Ambassador at Large and Head of Diplomatic Missions of IHRC in Nigeria, Dr Duru Hezekiah, stated this during the presentation of food items and cash to over 150 low-income earners and Persons With Disabilities.
The gifts which came ahead of the Christmas celebration were to cushion the effects of the growing inflation
The NBS had reported that 133 million Nigerians were multi-dimensionally poor, saying that the figure represents 63 per cent of the country’s population.
The report blamed the country’s rising poverty on poor access to education, living standards,
health, employment and security.
But reacting to the statistics by the NBS, Hezekiah warned that the poverty rate, if not urgently addressed, would be a recipe for disaster.
He said, “We are really in an economic crisis. And if it’s not checked, I tell you, the time is coming when will go into a fiasco, a time is coming when in fact, Nigeria will be declared a ‘hunger country’ and that is why we are still appealing to the government
In International Human Rights Commission, we don’t believe in protests. We don’t believe in riots.
“We believe in dialogue and negotiation. And so we keep appealing to the government, advising them on way forward to find a lasting solution. I know we might not be able to eradicate poverty 100 per cent but I tell you the growth of a nation begins with the growth of the people. If the people are happy, if the people are well taken care of, there will be growth. Look at the developed countries today.
“The rate of poverty is low compared to us here. So if governments want to be true to themselves, they should help us by empowering these people so that they can be able to cope with the level of inflation.”
Speaking on the choice of beneficiaries for the gifts, the IHRC boss said many Nigerians were languishing under the scourge of poverty and social vulnerability, adding that for most of them, the Yuletide season comes no with no substance with which to carry out any celebration
Another report by NBS on Thursday revealed that Nigeria’s inflation rate has risen to its highest level since September 2005 when the rate stood at 24.32 per cent
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