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Thu, Mar

100m Nigerians Will Be Lifted Out Of Poverty - PMB

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President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) that will see about one hundred million (100m) Nigerians lifted out of poverty within the next 10 years. To achieve this economic milestone without any delay, the president has inaugurated a National Steering Committee to oversee Nigeria’s Agenda 2050.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed and Mr Atedo Peterside will jointly chair the Committee, representatives of one State governor from each of the six geopolitical zones, the Senate, House of Representatives, ministers, representatives of key agencies, major political parties, ALGON, captains of industries, Labour Organizations, youth organizations and women’s societies, farmers’ associations, traditional and religious leaders, people with special needs and members of the press are other members of the committee which will succeed the Vision 20:2020 and the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) of 2017 – 2020 which will lapse in December.

While speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday, President Buhari noted that one of the objectives of the committee is to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years. “The main objectives of these Successor Plans are to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the next 10 years, particularly given the World Bank’s projection that Nigeria will become the world’s third most populous country by 2050 with over 400 million people.”

In order to ensure continuity and efficiency in the country’s development process, President Buhari said it would oversee governance structure comprising the Central Working Group and 26 Technical Working Groups for the important national assignment. “It is my expectation that the Steering Committee will oversee the execution of key deliverables, including recommending measures to ensure the continuous implementation of the Plans even after the expiration of the tenure of successive Administrations – including legislation, if required.

“Such legislation may introduce much-needed rigour and discipline to the nation’s development planning as well as to institutionalise planned outcomes for the future. I trust that our partners in the National Assembly will support us in exploring these reforms,” he said.

The President then went on to assure the feasibility of the project, stating china as a case study. ” Chinese experience is an example. It has resulted in lifting over 700 million people out of poverty over the last four decades. ”Indeed, China’s track record of positive economic growth, since 1992, was only halted in the first quarter of 2020, due to the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

”COVID-19 presents the world – and Nigeria – with a crisis as well as an opportunity. The current global health and economic crises give us an opportunity to think afresh and chart an optimal path forward, ” he said.

While asking members not to lose sight Nigeria’s role globally, President Buhari said the Successor Plans must, therefore, be designed to sustain national development, support regional and global strategic interests, as outlined in the African Union Agenda 2063, the ECOWAS Integration Agenda 2050 and the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

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