Amaechi: Nigeria Still Trapped in Poverty Despite Buhari’s Policies

*Seeks focus on rural majority to tackle poverty
*Urges FG to learn from Brazil, China, India

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi yesterday
lamented that the burden of poverty in Nigeria continued to weigh
heavily on the country despite some poverty reduction policies
initiated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, argued that it was
either that the poverty reduction schemes “are not well thought out
or the resources committed to them are too meagre to make any
significant impact.”

He made the assertion while delivering the convocation lecture
at the 49th graduation ceremony of the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka (UNN) yesterday.

The minister, in a lecture titled “‘Inequality and the Dignity
of Man,” argued that focus on rural communities would be effective
in tackling poverty and inequality in the land.

Amaechi acknowledged the efforts by the Buhari administration to
reduce poverty by implementing social welfare and empowerment
schemes as well as efforts by previous administrations.

He, however, insisted that more “has to be done and done right
by this administration and successive administrations to come.”

He observed that the Buhari administration had embarked on a
cocktail of measures targeted at reducing desperate poverty among
the most vulnerable segments of our populace.

He said: “These include the various Direct Cash Transfer
Schemes, micro credit, Trader Money, the School Feeding Programme,
the Small to Medium Enterprises credit scheme, the various
agricultural credit schemes and anchor borrowers schemes.

“It is hoped that these schemes will over time converge to
reduce the magnitude and demographics of the poor in our midst.
Previous government efforts have also contributed significantly in
reducing poverty over the years.

“These include the Community Banks, Rural Banking and Rural
Branch Network, Directorate of Employment, NERFUND, Directorate for
Roads and Rural Infrastructure, Mass Transit Programme, Keke NAPEP
Programme etc.”

Amaechi therefore called for a change in the development
policies of the government to affect rural communities as much as
it does urban areas, saying there were areas that should be
addressed “to overcome frightening inequality and poverty. We must
free our policies from an urban focus.

“The poorest urban Nigerian is many times better off than the
most well off rural Nigerian. Therefore, we need to emulate the
Chinese and Indian examples in focusing on the rural majority if we
must end the increasing marginalisation of our rural
compatriots.

“Our current land title and tenure systems have continued to
consign our rural landowners to peasant holders of acres of
farmland without commercial value.

“We need to reform our land title system by removing
encumbrances on rural land titles so that rural farmers can use
such land to access credit from the banks and credit unions.

“Inequality has produced an anarchic population as life has
become a scramble and a hustle among many. Poverty induced
criminality has sent crime statistics through the roof nationwide
resulting in the culture of perennial insecurity that now haunts
the nation.

“A resource poor treasury has led to considerable decay in the
capacity of the state to equip the armed and security forces
adequately to contain an upsurge in crime and militant nationalism
and regionalism.

“Our hospitals and healthcare delivery system is in desperate
disrepair just as our public infrastructure has continued to decay
over the years,” the minister said.

Citing examples of how other countries successfully fought
poverty, Amaechi evaluated the effect of poverty reduction policies
in China, India and Brazil, which he said, were once in the
socio-economic crises that Nigeria was facing today.

If it could work in those countries, according to the minister,
then it can work in Nigeria, despite its very peculiar
situation.

He said the achievement of the Chinese in poverty reduction had
been equated with a modern day miracle.

The minister explained that the achievement “corresponded with a
period of sustained economic growth. It adopted the strategy of
focusing on the poorest people in the rural areas. It massively
moved them from poor homes in the countryside to apartment blocks
in urban areas.

“This is similar to the strategy adopted by the late Lee Kuan
Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, in tackling poverty among the
slum dwellers of Singapore.

“This led to rapid urban renewal and the uplifting of the
standards of living among the former slum dwellers with
corresponding economic empowerment.”

In India, Amaechi said four basic schemes were adopted, targeted
at alleviation of poverty in rural areas as a priority.

He, first, cited the Rural Livelihood Mission, which according
to him, guaranteed the rural poor access to finance to increase
household incomes, entitlement to rights, increased access to
participation in the national economy through participating in
banking and insurance services.

He, also, cited the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee
Act 2005, which he said, was designed to guarantee the livelihood
of rural people.

According to him, it is an employment guarantee scheme that
assures individuals of a minimum of 100 days minimum wage
employment.

He, equally, mentioned India’s Rural Housing Guarantee Scheme
designed to provide housing for all by the year 2022, saying the
scheme guaranteed the rural poor access to permanent housing with
electricity, LPG connections, pipe borne water and toilet
facilities under an affordable mortgage arrangement that is both
simple and affordable.

He, finally, cited the public distribution system “aimed at
managing food distribution and reducing the scarcity of essential
food items to rural dwellers at affordable prices.

“It is designed to address the problem of food insecurity in the
rural areas. This combination of policies and strategies has
assured India of a modest poverty reduction rate of 13.65 million
people per annum in the last twenty years.”

Amaechi advised the graduates “to embrace the challenges and
opportunities the outside world holds, with courage. The moment of
graduation holds special meaning for both the graduates and their
parents.

“For those graduating, it is the fulfilment of a set of hopes,
the completion of one leg of a race in life and the beginning of
yet another lap. The world outside the university campus holds
infinite possibilities and surprises. It is different from what you
have on campus.

“It is real and sometimes shocking. But it holds the invaluable
treasure of experience without which we cannot face life. I hope
you all find it an exciting ride especially in our time and place.
In a world of dwindling opportunities and immense challenges,” the
minister explained.

He, therefore, urged graduates to embrace the realities with
courage and determination, which according to him, require
creativity to convert every challenge to opportunity

*Seeks focus on rural majority to tackle poverty
*Urges FG to learn from Brazil, China, India

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi yesterday
lamented that the burden of poverty in Nigeria continued to weigh
heavily on the country despite some poverty reduction policies
initiated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, argued that it was
either that the poverty reduction schemes “are not well thought out
or the resources committed to them are too meagre to make any
significant impact.”

He made the assertion while delivering the convocation lecture
at the 49th graduation ceremony of the University of Nigeria,
Nsukka (UNN) yesterday.

The minister, in a lecture titled “‘Inequality and the Dignity
of Man,” argued that focus on rural communities would be effective
in tackling poverty and inequality in the land.

Amaechi acknowledged the efforts by the Buhari administration to
reduce poverty by implementing social welfare and empowerment
schemes as well as efforts by previous administrations.

He, however, insisted that more “has to be done and done right
by this administration and successive administrations to come.”

He observed that the Buhari administration had embarked on a
cocktail of measures targeted at reducing desperate poverty among
the most vulnerable segments of our populace.

He said: “These include the various Direct Cash Transfer
Schemes, micro credit, Trader Money, the School Feeding Programme,
the Small to Medium Enterprises credit scheme, the various
agricultural credit schemes and anchor borrowers schemes.

“It is hoped that these schemes will over time converge to
reduce the magnitude and demographics of the poor in our midst.
Previous government efforts have also contributed significantly in
reducing poverty over the years.

“These include the Community Banks, Rural Banking and Rural
Branch Network, Directorate of Employment, NERFUND, Directorate for
Roads and Rural Infrastructure, Mass Transit Programme, Keke NAPEP
Programme etc.”

Amaechi therefore called for a change in the development
policies of the government to affect rural communities as much as
it does urban areas, saying there were areas that should be
addressed “to overcome frightening inequality and poverty. We must
free our policies from an urban focus.

“The poorest urban Nigerian is many times better off than the
most well off rural Nigerian. Therefore, we need to emulate the
Chinese and Indian examples in focusing on the rural majority if we
must end the increasing marginalisation of our rural
compatriots.

“Our current land title and tenure systems have continued to
consign our rural landowners to peasant holders of acres of
farmland without commercial value.

“We need to reform our land title system by removing
encumbrances on rural land titles so that rural farmers can use
such land to access credit from the banks and credit unions.

“Inequality has produced an anarchic population as life has
become a scramble and a hustle among many. Poverty induced
criminality has sent crime statistics through the roof nationwide
resulting in the culture of perennial insecurity that now haunts
the nation.

“A resource poor treasury has led to considerable decay in the
capacity of the state to equip the armed and security forces
adequately to contain an upsurge in crime and militant nationalism
and regionalism.

“Our hospitals and healthcare delivery system is in desperate
disrepair just as our public infrastructure has continued to decay
over the years,” the minister said.

Citing examples of how other countries successfully fought
poverty, Amaechi evaluated the effect of poverty reduction policies
in China, India and Brazil, which he said, were once in the
socio-economic crises that Nigeria was facing today.

If it could work in those countries, according to the minister,
then it can work in Nigeria, despite its very peculiar
situation.

He said the achievement of the Chinese in poverty reduction had
been equated with a modern day miracle.

The minister explained that the achievement “corresponded with a
period of sustained economic growth. It adopted the strategy of
focusing on the poorest people in the rural areas. It massively
moved them from poor homes in the countryside to apartment blocks
in urban areas.

“This is similar to the strategy adopted by the late Lee Kuan
Yew, Prime Minister of Singapore, in tackling poverty among the
slum dwellers of Singapore.

“This led to rapid urban renewal and the uplifting of the
standards of living among the former slum dwellers with
corresponding economic empowerment.”

In India, Amaechi said four basic schemes were adopted, targeted
at alleviation of poverty in rural areas as a priority.

He, first, cited the Rural Livelihood Mission, which according
to him, guaranteed the rural poor access to finance to increase
household incomes, entitlement to rights, increased access to
participation in the national economy through participating in
banking and insurance services.

He, also, cited the Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee
Act 2005, which he said, was designed to guarantee the livelihood
of rural people.

According to him, it is an employment guarantee scheme that
assures individuals of a minimum of 100 days minimum wage
employment.

He, equally, mentioned India’s Rural Housing Guarantee Scheme
designed to provide housing for all by the year 2022, saying the
scheme guaranteed the rural poor access to permanent housing with
electricity, LPG connections, pipe borne water and toilet
facilities under an affordable mortgage arrangement that is both
simple and affordable.

He, finally, cited the public distribution system “aimed at
managing food distribution and reducing the scarcity of essential
food items to rural dwellers at affordable prices.

“It is designed to address the problem of food insecurity in the
rural areas. This combination of policies and strategies has
assured India of a modest poverty reduction rate of 13.65 million
people per annum in the last twenty years.”

Amaechi advised the graduates “to embrace the challenges and
opportunities the outside world holds, with courage. The moment of
graduation holds special meaning for both the graduates and their
parents.

“For those graduating, it is the fulfilment of a set of hopes,
the completion of one leg of a race in life and the beginning of
yet another lap. The world outside the university campus holds
infinite possibilities and surprises. It is different from what you
have on campus.

“It is real and sometimes shocking. But it holds the invaluable
treasure of experience without which we cannot face life. I hope
you all find it an exciting ride especially in our time and place.
In a world of dwindling opportunities and immense challenges,” the
minister explained.

He, therefore, urged graduates to embrace the realities with
courage and determination, which according to him, require
creativity to convert every challenge to opportunity