₦airaland Forum

I don't believe this figure, more than 100M Nigerians are poor judging from what i see everyday.

THE World Bank has disclosed that about70 million Nigerian adults are poor, while Jigawa is the poorest state in the country.

World Bank Lead Economist, Mr John Litwack, speaking at the media launch of the Nigeria Economic Report (NER) on Monday in Abuja, stated that poverty rates remain high particularly in rural area.

Mr Litwack noted in the report that although poverty rate declined slightly between 2004 and 2010, it did not however reflect on the generality of Nigerians.

The NER stated that Lagos had the lowest poverty rate of 22.9 per cent while Jigawa had the highest at 77.5 per cent. The report further showed that poverty is concentrated more in the Northern part of the country as against the South West where the rate of poverty is lowest.

The World Bank lead economist explained that to overcome these, there is need for better coordination of federal and state policies in key areas of the economy namely: macroeconomic management, coordinated policies to enhance market connectivity and improve public service, and the realisation of national standards in public financial management and disclosure.

“Enhanced cooperation among the federal and state governments can successfully address all these issues, thereby unlocking enormous potential for growth, job creation, and improvement in the welfare of Nigerian citizens,” the report said.

He insisted that problems in government have hindered the ability of Nigeria to translate its resource wealth into the infrastructure and public services needed for a take-off into sustainable and diversified growth.

Litwack said that to attract foreign investors, it was important that government also tackle the problems of market connectivity and infrastructural deficit.

“Investors with the potential to set up large scale operations and create jobs will be reluctant to do so if they cannot service a large market. Under these conditions, a number of Nigerian states have limited opportunities to attract significant investors,” he said.

He pointed out that for Nigeria’s federal system of government to work for development, there was need to hold government officials accountable, saying that until the public was aware of public expenditure, it would be difficult to hold public officers accountable.

“In Nigeria, much too little of this information is current is currently available at every level of government. In some cases, the problem can be related to the actual absence of information. In other cases, the information may exist, but is not disclosed to the public in a regular and clear manner.”

The World Bank therefore recommended that “better monitoring of indicators of performance can foster healthy competition and knowledge sharing among Nigerian states, as well as increasing accountability of public officials to voters.”

The lead author of the report, while acknowledging that the country’s improved macroeconomic management had strengthened its balance of payment and reserve accumulation, added that increased accumulation of the country’s Excess Crude Account (ECA) would make it less vulnerable to any global financial shocks.

Speaking at the launch, the World Bank Country Director to Nigeria, Marie Francois Marie-Nelly, said there was need by the government to begin to operate a more stable budget despite volatility in oil prices worldwide.

She urged the government to create a conducive atmosphere for investment to thrive and “the private sector will come in.”


http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/11829-70-million-nigerians-are-poor-says-world-bank-jigawa-state-poorest-in-nigeria

THE crisis between Fulani herdsmen and Agatu farmers in Benue State assumed another dimension on Sunday, when suspected Fulani herdsmen were said to have launched an attack on the people at Ekwo Okpachenyi council area while at a burial site, killing about 45 people.

Governor Gabriel Suswam who spoke to newsmen after an emergency meeting with security chiefs on Monday, confirmed the attack on Agatu people, but explained that he could not give the actual figure of the casualty.

According to him, “the Fulani invasion on some parts of the state has continued unabated. Just Sunday evening, there was a fresh attack on people of Agatu. As a result of that, I have sent delegation to the place for an on-the-spot assessment. So I cannot say for now the number of people killed in the incident. Perhaps by tomorrow (today), we will be able to give the accurate things that happened there.

“But I can assure you that the security operatives are on top of the situation. As I am talking to you now, soldiers and mobile policemen have been drafted to the place to keep surveillance, so also other areas like Guma and other parts of Makurdi. If you notice you will discover that normalcy has returned to the area,” he said.

The governor promised that he would formally present the situation to the president, but assured that there was no cause for alarm.

This is just as he denied the rumours doing the round that the marauders were kept in the neighbouring state of Nasarawa.

According to eyewitnesses, people from the village were said to be at a burial site of one of the slain police officer in Nasarawa State, who hailed from the village, when the herdsmen launched the attack.

The liaison officer to Governor Suswam, Chief German Adobunu, who confirmed the report, expressed shock at the unprovoked attack at Ekwo-Okpanchenyi, adding that the suspected herdsmen struck immediately after the burial.

He said the herdsmen destroyed most of the houses at Ekwo-Okpanchenyi, forcing many of the residents to become displaced people in Apa and Otukpo local government areas, as well as part of Kogi State.

A member of state House of Assembly, Honourable Sule Audu, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on phone, confirmed the report and put the casualty figure at 40.

Similarly, the state Commissioner for Works and Transport, Mr John Ngbede, who is an indigene of Agatu, described the attack as “an attempt to eliminate the people of the area,” stating that the attack came without any provocation.

In a swift reaction, the secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association in Benue State, Garus Gololo, said the herdsmen attacked the Agatu people in order to recover their cows, numbered about 550, which he alleged were hijacked by the Agatu people.

Gololo, speaking with newsmen on phone, said people should know that the herdsmen valued their cows more than anything, alluding that the Agatu people were being economical with the truth.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ezeala, when contacted, said the police authorities were yet to confirm the number of casualties, adding that the command had deployed its men in the area.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan, again, met with security chiefs early on Monday, the second time in less than a week.

At the meeting, held at his office, were all the service chiefs, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd); the Director-General, State Security Service (SSS), Mr Ita Ekpeyong and the Inspector General of Police, M. D. Abubakar.

Though nothing was disclosed about the meeting, it was expected to have been in connection with the recent killing of policemen by the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa State, as well as the insurgency by the Boko Haram sect in the North.

http://tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/news/item/11828-45-killed-in-fresh-communal-clash-in-benue-jonathan-security-chiefs-meet-in-abuja

Just go to the registry and seal it if the guy agrees. It is possible that the guy may change after you might have put to bed.

eGuerrilla: I actually think the Prof is hinting at something far removed from democratic elections.
In truth, do you see any elections holding if the current climate of unrest persists into 2015?

Definitely nothing close to election will hold. The remaining part of this year and early next year will determine the fate of this country.


inaluf = Geomac

alexchiny: Now this is what I call GUTS! Respect sir!!! We (SE,SS and MB) are solidly behind you sir!

I don't know why you have MB in your list.

berem: The Yoruba have another advantage. They are the only group in
Nigeria that has been happy being in the opposition. Other ethnic
groups usually feel like a fish out of water whenever out of
power. So they will take their time to decide on whom to support.
Gradually, the Yoruba are moving to the centre of Nigerian
politics on their own terms. Even if they fail to rule in 2015
because of the unwritten agreement of rotation of power
between the North and the South, they will have a strong hand in
determining who occupies Aso Rock come 2015.


http://m.naij.com/news/33334.html

Agreed 100%

The writer has forgotten that Plateau and Benue States are not the only states in the NC.

Ujujoan: -shoe size - 46
-height - 6' something
-Best sleeping position - Face down
-best colour - Yellow (I hate dat colour)
-first bathing step - Wets body first
-parents/peers pet/guy name - Don't wanna say, someone might know him!
-most used phrase - Igbaaaaa!
- best song - Anything old school . .
-worst habit - Making calls while driving
-ideology of life - Karma's a biatch . . . do NO evil!

-shoe size - 46!

kemismartty: the name of the course sound so big...is there money to be made in such courses...

lol

Sincere 9gerian: Me too. Lol..

But this joke is too expensive. That Freedom Square will cost hundreds of millions of naira.

Constructing Freedom Square will be a waste of resources. There are 1001 better things he can use the for. May be the State has enough money to throw around.

Sincere 9gerian: @Geomac.., Live on AIT today during the second anniversary of the 6th May 2011 supplementary election that brought him to power. You can google Freedom Square, Imo state

Thanks.

I think he is out of his mind.

Charles Inojie

This trick is not new, thank God for everything.

She is the manager.

Association of witches and wizards! Na wow!

Up Nairaland!

ACN should postpone their convention.

rosebowl01: Mohammed Abacha also "needs to come out and clear himself" (one by one) of the thousands of yahoo yahoo boys that have been using his name for 419. Does that make any sense to you? bunch'a superficial morons.

You must be high on cow dung.

[quote author=T-smooth]@poster which stupid crocodile tears are u shedding? Are u a girl? That wont make NL babes like u. U wnt even make it to the frontpage. ***[/quote]You should be in the cage not here.

Santi222: No male nurses in d house? Na agberos full NL? Nawa oh!

lol

kettykings: Are you sure it is boko Haram or reuben Abati that wanted to do suya with them

Abati needs to come out and clear himself.

Afam, how far now?