The swift dismissal of the Brookings report, that Nigeria has the highest number of poor persons globally, by Federal Government was not unexpected.
This verdict was not only damnatory, but a blow to the administration’s seeming achievements.

Nigeria has already overtaken India, as the country with the largest number of extreme poor in early 2018. Our trajectories suggest that Nigeria had about 87 million people in extreme poverty in May, compared with India’s 73 million.
Extreme poverty in Nigeria is growing by six people every minute,’ the report stated. By this status, Nigeria has surpassed India and other African countries in pauperism.

Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, queried the findings saying, ‘the indices used for the report might have been compiled, when Nigeria was in recession.’
Government reserves the right to dismiss any appraisal, however it is pertinent to pay close attention to the disturbing projections by the agency.
The institution has nothing to gain by posting a fallacious dossier on Nigeria, given its antecedents, in providing credible data on global issues.

It is doubtful if Nigeria can match the expertise of this institution, because since its inception, in 1916, Brookings has been involved, in credible research on development trends, with its coterie of over 300 leading world experts in government and academia.
The minister knows well that this country has been beleaguered by years of excruciating deprivation of basic amenities, but has reached a tipping point, according to Brookings, under this regime.

Indeed the nation’s current dismal demographic index is unprecedented in its annals, hence the hurried efforts to paper the unsavoury news that out of 190 million, over 85 million citizens are poor.
Obviously no responsible government exposes its country to ridicule, but strives to strengthen its ebbs, through effective policies.
Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to mask Nigeria’s bourgeoning economic and social imbroglio, due to ineffective and reckless governance.

Economic experts and world leaders have expressed concern over the country’s degeneracy, amidst the opulent lifestyles of government officials.
Daily struggles for survival by the populace, despite fleeting resources, energy crises, bogus budgets and widespread violence are too glaring to hide or ignore.
Nigeria’s demographic score card, as the world’s topmost poor nation is devastating, despite reported gains in economic recovery, rice production and importation reduction.

The minister reeled out a string of statistics to justify success of government’s economic recovery plan, however, his explanations were dismissed, by critics as incongruous with society’s brazen realities.
His arguments were at odds with the precarious lives of ordinary citizens, as many go to bed hungry, with majority slaving on less than a dollar.

Clearly, the masses are tired of phony policies and programmes, with little or no bearing on their welfare. The international community is also not impressed by all the endless grandstanding, being paraded as achievements.

Drug abuse and suicide rates are increasing, due to lack of socio-economic safety nets.
Additionally the rising overpopulation burden, unemployment, educational deficiencies and low life expectancy are all reflections of extreme penury and leadership failure.
Yet experts predict worsening food crises, following the killing of farmers and destruction of farm lands by suspected pastoralists, particularly in the Middle Belt, as many agrarian communities flee their farms over the unrelenting carnage.

Federal Government recently admitted that life is cheap, following the Plateau state massacre and similar killings across the country.
Indeed, life in Nigeria is now, unquestionably cheap, essentially, due to irresponsible governance, security failure, income disparities, terrorism, infrastructural decay and graft by the ruling class.

Lack of fiscal federation and dependence on oil sales are also, major factors for ineffective governance, budgetary discrepancies and social malaise afflicting the country.
As a result, the nation is bereft of investments in vital sectors, crucial for job creation and infrastructural development.
These infractions have increased the calls for devolution of power and fiscal federalism, as the panacea for this political and economic sham.

The well-being of citizens, is often the barometer for judging government’s performance, hence the clamour for this regime to stop paying lip-service to poverty eradication, by embracing international best practices and standards in economic growth and human development to save the country from doldrums.
Until this is done the country and its administrators may continue to bear the brunt of global disdain for incompetence.

Computer magnate and philanthropist, Bill Gates spoke passionately about this disconnection recently in Abuja.
Gates advised his privileged audience to visit primary schools and hospitals in rural areas in order to see the enormity of the nation’s decrepit infrastructure.
‘I visited a health clinic in Bodinga LGA in Sokoto. It reminded me why I do this work. I’d like to ask all of you to spend one hour at a health centre. You’ll see how the system can be improved.’

The Nigerian primary health system is not adequately funded. But it also doesn’t get the most out of its current funding, due to lack of transparency and accountability. Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan identifies “investing in our people” as one of three “strategic objectives.” But the “execution priorities” don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritizing physical capital over human capital,’ he added.

To anchor the economy over the long term, investments in infrastructure must go hand in hand with investments in people. People without roads, ports, and factories can’t flourish. Roads, ports, and factories without skilled workers to build and manage them can’t sustain an economy.
Citing a ‘World Bank World Development Report,’ which identified education as vital to employment, productivity, and wages, Gates noted that ‘more than half of Nigerian rural children can’t read and write. The conclusion is inescapable: Nigeria’s economy tomorrow depends on improving its schools and primary care system.’

He concluded his discourse with the words of world-acclaimed novelist and activist, Chimamanda Adichie:
‘Nigerians are known around the world for their big dreams and big ambitions.”

Government bears much of the responsibility for these dreams to become reality.

http://adezeoj..com/2018/07/the-albatross-of-nigerias-escalating.html?m=1

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