The Country Director Actionaid Nigeria (AAN), Ene Obi, Wednesday raised the alarm that more Nigerians are falling below poverty line.
Obi who gave the hint when her team paid a courtesy visit to Blueprint’s Headquarters in Abuja, insisted that poverty was real, saying people are dying of poverty nowadays because Nigeria has been turned to looting environment.
According to the country director of the anti-poverty agency who focuses eradication of poverty in the society, only the imbibitions of social justice can end poverty in the land.
Obi who particularly mentioned women and children as most vulnerable of the worst impediment of corruption, hinted that the organization would continue to touch many women and girl-child lives through its gender-based empowerment programmes among others.
She said, “When you go to the grassroots you know that poverty is real. I believe we all belong to a community here. People are dying of poverty because some people have decided to reduce this country to looting environment and that has to stop.
“If you are working in the area of poverty eradication, what then will you fight if not poverty. I think we need to reclaim Nigeria, we need to take Nigeria back because we believe Nigeria has gone to another level.
“Am sure that a number of us here will remember when a certain politician disagreed that Nigeria was poor. And in justifying his claim, he said nobody is eaten from the dustbin.
“But in our generation, we have witnessed the eating from the dustbin. These are your children and my children. These are children of Nigeria, and yet we believe that this country holds dignity of every child but you know what, we are losing it. And if we are losing it, and we don’t do anything about it, it is going to really stare us.
Speaking further, Obi thereafter enjoined the medium to as critical partner join in amplifying the fights against corruption.
“One of the good things that we have seen is that the president is willing to fight corruption. He made a pronouncement and we believe in his pronouncement. So we need to use that opportunity to ask him to do more and let those who are corrupt be sanctioned.
“In working to see that poverty is eradicated, we believe that the resources of Nigeria can be utilized or better still, redistribution of our wealth for the common good of Nigerians can be achieved,” she observed further.
Earlier, Obi who lauded Blueprint newspapers for its partnership and coverage of Actionaid activities over the years announced that the organisation would be celebrating its 20 years in October, asking the media entity to join in popularizing the day.
Responding, the medium Chief Operating Officer (COO) Mr. Salisu Umar praised Actionaid for championing the fight against poverty and corruption, assuring that his medium will continue to partner with it and other agencies so that government can step up the fight against corruption and poverty alleviation.
Also speaking, the Managing Editor, Mr Clement Oluwole, expressed the need for a special court to try corruption-related cases, saying that the regular court appeared congested.
He nevertheless eulogised the organisation while declaring the medium support for its cause.
