Sustained social investment programmes will reduce poverty — NECA

The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has identified Social Investment Programmes as panacea to reduce the level of poverty in the country, if well structured, planned and sustained over a long period.

The Director-General of the association, Dr Timothy Olawale, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Thursday in Lagos that the programmes were aimed causing positive changes in the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the country.

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He said, however, that there was a need for synergy with other parastatal agencies of government in driving the process and achieving meaningful results devoid of political interference.

“The various Social Investment Programmes embarked on by the current administration, such as the N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme, Home Grown School Feeding programme and Extended Special Public Works programme to a large extent are laudable social inclusion projects.

“If well-structured with no political interference, the schemes have the potential to increase the disposable income of the poor and thus, increase demand for goods and services, which will in turn have a positive effect on the Real Sector,”Olawale said. (NAN)