Nigeria: Country Can Achieve MDG’s

By: Kunle Aderinokun And Damilola Oyedele
Abuja, This Day, January 31

The United Nations Under-Secretary, Mr Ad Melkert, has said that Nigeria can achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) by 2020 if the government makes more commitment in the area of health, education and provision of infrastructure.

During an inspection tour of the Millennium Village in Pampaida, Ikara LGA of Kaduna state on Tuesday, the Under-Secretary said that there is a strong commitment by the government of Nigeria to be among the world’s leading economy and that the UN Development Programme (UNDP) would assist Nigeria in coordination of developing agencies and to promote State Fiscal Responsibility Bill and dialogue.

The Millennium Village jointly sponsored by the UNDP and the Kaduna State Government, he said, is an indication that people can be lifted out of poverty through community empowerment, but there has to be proper coordination and formulation of good and sustainable policies which would promote human development.

On the Niger Delta issue, Melkert said that the UNDP would help through a constructive partnership to address the concerns of the people of the region but said there is a need for them to feel the impact of the oil wealth through the provision of basic amenities and social infrastructure.

During a visit to the Finance Minister, Shamsuddeen Usman, the Under Secretary commended the Yar’ Adua administration’s progress in the areas of electoral reform and economic policies and called on other African countries to emulate Nigeria so as to make progress.

Usman disclosed that the Federal Government had set aside N3 billion under a new poverty reduction strategy, the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme (CCTS), which is aimed at benefitting 1000 families in the FCT. This, he said , is grossly inadequate in a country of 140 million people.

He added that there is a need to formulate more serious poverty eradication policies and create employment so that the government intent to grow the economy by 13% would create a middle class that can afford its essential needs.

He however added that more poverty eradication strategies, which would be effective, would soon be unveiled by the current administration.

allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Country Can Achieve MDG’s - UN (Page 1 of 1)