President Muhammadu Buhari may have become ‘stuck’ in his policy to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty. National Daily investigations revealed that the federal government has not made disbursements to known beneficiaries in the year 2021. Sources at an administrative agency of the poverty alleviation policy disclosed that the last disbursements were made in November 2020.
However, President Buhari in his Democracy Day broadcast on June 12, 2021, said that his administration “has pulled 10.5 million Nigerians out of poverty in the last two years.” About seven months to the broadcast, the federal government was gathered not to have made any disbursement to those who applied for the intervention funds.
Meanwhile, reports from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that either the poverty policy of the President is not making the anticipated impact, or the policy is not being implemented to the letter; or plausibly adopted as a propaganda tool.
The 2019/2020 standard of living survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), indicated that 82.9 million Nigerians live below the poverty line.
The National Bureau of Statistics report showed that 55 per cent of the active population are unemployed and underemployed, denoting an unemployment rate of about 13.1 million and underemployment rate of 11.3 million. Apparently, many are curious to work but can’t find gainful employment.
However, the President is optimistic of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.
The NBS report showed from 2016 to 2021, about 14.8 million Nigerians slipped into poverty, while over 6.5 million people fell below poverty line in 2020, the same period the President said 10.5 million Nigeria have been [pulled out of poverty by his administration.
The interventionist Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has over time claimed dispensing N5,000 to the extreme poor in the society, as the National Steering Committee (NSC) on the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also claims of rolling out billions of Naira for Anchor borrowing.
There is the fear that by 2030, over 105 million Nigerians will be living below the poverty line.
President Buhari while inaugurating the National Steering Committee (NSC) on the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) in June 2021, reaffirmed his commitment to lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
The President, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, had declared: “This journey began in January 2021 when I directed the Chairman of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Secretary to the Government of the Federation to collaboratively work together to articulate what will lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“I am happy to note that the process of designing this inclusive poverty reduction strategy recognised and addressed past mistakes, as well as laid the foundation for a sustainable poverty reduction through the wide range consultations held at all levels of government, development partners, the private sector as well as the civil society.”
President Buhari was also cited to be confident that “if India can lift 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016, Nigeria can surely lift 100 million out of poverty in 10 years.”
The President also noted that the government will have to address the issues of slow implementation, inappropriate targeting, and absence of adequate resources.
As the year 2021 is ending, many Nigerians who applied in February and later months for the federal government’s poverty intervention funds, are still waiting for responses. Most of the applicants had to make payments of about N57,000 to the facilitators that processed their forms on the understanding that the money would be used to open bank accounts for the applicants with the intermediary micro finance bank appointed by the federal government. The applicants, however, said they have been receiving assurance from their facilitators that the government will disburse the loans. The expectations that started early in the year are now being carried over to 2022.
It is not clear if President Buhari has abandoned the 100 million Nigerians poverty intervention project; but while applicants did not receive payments, the federal government has been spending billions of Naira on COVID-19 interventions, including vaccine procurement.
Members of the National Steering Committee (NSC) on the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS) include Vice President Osinbajo, Chairman; Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Secretary; Chief of Staff to the President, Governors of Ekiti – Southwest; Delta -South-South; Sokoto -North West; Borno – North East; Nasarawa – North Central; and Ebonyi – South East; Ministers of Finance, Budget and National Planning; State for Budget and National Planning; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Agriculture and Rural Development; Industry, Trade and Investments; Labour and Employment; Education and Health.