Buhari raises committee on poverty reduction

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) to be chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

Members of the committee, include Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief of Staff to Mr. President and governors of Ekiti, Delta, Sokoto, Borno, Nasarawa and Ebonyi states, covering the six geopolitical zones, among other members.

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The President restated his commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years, with a well-researched framework for implementation and funding at the ceremony, said a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina.

Buhari said the NPRGS had already proposed the establishment of a private equity fund, the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund (NIG-Fund), to lead resource mobilization drive and also manage the resources in a sustainable manner.

“If India can lift 271m people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, Nigeria can surely lift 100m out of poverty in 10 years. Fortunately, we have already started but we need to unlock the challenges of slow implementation, inappropriate targeting and absence of adequate resources,” he noted.

Chairman of the committee, Vice President Osinbajo, said the President’s position that local governments, states and the federal government should work jointly to alleviate poverty in the country will be properly reflected in the programme.