President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday outlined the Federal Government’s plans to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.
The president, who spoke in a video message to a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on poverty eradication, welcomed the launch of the Alliance for Poverty Eradication (APE) by the global body.
He expressed Nigeria’s endorsement of all multilateral actions aimed at actualising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
APE which was launched at the forum is designed to serve as a forum to galvanise UN member states, the international community and other stakeholders to support actions geared toward poverty eradication.
The president said:
“Nigeria attaches great importance to poverty eradication.
“It is for this reason that in May, 2019, on my inauguration for a second term in office, our government committed itself to starting a new programme of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within a 10-year period.
“It is my conviction that devoting our efforts towards human capital development, efficient management of our resources, greater financial inclusion, and transformation of the agricultural sector to ensure food security are crucial to poverty eradication.
“In this regard, Nigeria continues to strengthen its existing social safety net initiative by increasing access to enrollees who fit the various programmes in the scheme.
“Nigeria will also continue to provide easier and increased access to financial services for micro and small-scale businesses through the government’s Enterprise and Empowerment Programme.”
President Buhari expressed his administration’s determination to do more, including massive investment in education, especially of the girl-child.
He added: “Nigeria holds the view that education is a critical driver of sustainable development and has immense capacity to eradicate poverty.
“Educating our children, especially the girl child, contributes significantly to the fight against poverty, environmental sustainability, and improved health as well as building peace and resilient societies.”
Buhari said the federal government had also integrated the economic, social and environmental dimensions of the SDGs into its economic plans.
He decried the adverse economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which he said was threatening to reverse decades of progress made in poverty eradication.
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