Development experts that attended the 31st Annual LAPO Development Forum in Abuja last Thursday have advised the Federal Government of Nigeria to prioritise the reduction of multidimensional poverty in the country through cohesive economic policies and reforms that thrive on the collaboration between the public and private sectors and supported by civil societies organisations in the country.
They also advised the FG to harness the nation’s huge agricultural potential, avoid policy summersault, strengthen social protection programmes, and the implementation of entrepreneurship and vocational education.
The Annual LAPO Development Forum aligns with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and has, since its inception in 1994, become a premier platform for addressing poverty and development challenges in Nigeria and Africa. The theme of this year’s event was “Paradox of Poverty in a ‘Wealthy Nation’: Policy Issues & Perspectives.”
The 2024 edition created an important opportunity for stakeholders who engaged in meaningful dialogue and charted pathways toward sustainable development and wealth creation.
This important development-centred programme was attended by His Excellency, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former governor of Edo state who chaired the forum; Andrew Mamedu, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, who delivered the keynote address, as well as the Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who was represented by his SA, Cooperative and Farmers Welfare, Hon. Victor Oyegoke who attended as the Special Guest of Honour, among others.
Expectedly, the annual forum attracted participants from diverse sectors, including government, civil society, development partners, diplomatic missions, academia, and the private sector.
In his welcome address, Dr Godwin Ehigiamusoe, Founder/CEO of the Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), said development experts are bewildered why in spite of the nation’s wealth, poverty is still pervasive across the country.
“For over three decades, development scholars and practitioners have been bewildered by the paradox of widespread poverty in a nation immensely endowed with human and natural resources. In this 31st edition, we are expected to provide further insights into this puzzle,” Dr Ehigiamusoe said.
He added that extreme poverty could only be addressed by a combination of policy and economic reforms with effective social protection initiatives and frameworks for social and economic empowerment of the poor, emphasising that attaining these would require the collective involvement of government and non-governmental entities.
Dr Osaren Emokpae, Chairman, Board of Directors, Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), said LAPA was dedicated to improving the health and economic well-being of a vast majority of the Nigerian population through poverty alleviation and wealth creation.
“In 2023 alone, LAPO made a tangible difference in the lives of 1,724,157 people living in vulnerable communities across Nigeria through our various programmes. We provided community health awareness, screening, and legal services to 114,483 individuals, and 1,601 people received confirmatory tests at government-approved health facilities,” Dr Emokpae said.
Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Honorable Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security said the focus of the current central government is to change the paradox where inequality persists.
He said: “Nigeria has fertile land, abundant natural resources, and a youthful population. Yet, many still struggle with poverty and food insecurity. To tackle these issues effectively, we need a comprehensive approach aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GFCR.
“The agenda promotes value addition and agro-processing, which will maximize the economic benefits of agriculture and create employment opportunities. It emphasizes the need for agricultural innovation and infrastructure investment, which can significantly boost productivity and sustainability.”
His Excellency, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former Governor of Edo State stressed the need for conditional cash transfers and the establishment of food bank to address the raging poverty in the country.
“I believe that policy reforms are vital to address endemic poverty. However, while the poor await the fruits of policy interventions, they need to put food on their table; send their children to school and seek for shelter over their heads. This is where urgent social protection interventions such as conditional fund transfers and food bank operations are imperative,” Chief Odigie-Oyegun said.
Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, said monetary measures might not capture the extent of poverty in the country.
“Traditional measures of poverty have focused on income or expenditure based on a minimum threshold required to purchase a basket of essential goods and services. However, important aspects of well-being might not be fully captured through monetary measures alone.
“Multidimensional poverty measures seek to address this shortfall and have been adopted as an official indicator for the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.
