By Steve Oni, Ilorin
As the world marks International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, a Social Entrepreneur, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir, has admonished political office holders as well as the three tiers of government in Nigeria to embark on programmes that will alleviate the high rate of poverty ravaging the citizenry, especially women and children.
In the same vein, Alhaji Gobir is also urging world leaders, particularly African governments to strive to ensure that a larger percentage of their budgets is devoted to agriculture, saying that is the only way to ensure food security.
Speaking on the celebration of the Day in Ilorin, the State capital, Alhaji Gobir, who is the Waziri Hausa, specifically appealed to the Nigerian government for a paradigm shift from total dependence on oil and diversify the economy by encouraging Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.
In particular, he stressed the need for government and well meaning individuals to empower the downtrodden, especially artisans and small business owners to get them out of poverty which, he reckoned, is alarming and has invariably led to insecurity across the country.
To this end, he urged all tiers of government and well to do citizens to join hands to empower families, especially women and youths who, he said, are the most vulnerable so that the cycle of poverty is eradicated.
Waziri Gobir added that wealthy Africans and Nigerians in particular should come together to respect the human rights and dignity of the people living in poverty, stressing that it is crucial that children who are the leaders of tomorrow are well looked after.
The Social Entrepreneur commended the school feeding programme of the Federal Government and urged all States of the Federation to emulate the programme as it is the right of every child to live a life that is free of misery for their physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development irrespective of their race, religion and abilities.
He attributed the high rate of crime today across the globe to poverty, hence the need for government and various political leaders to quickly address the menace.
As part of his own effort to alleviate poverty in the society, Alhaji Gobir said the Gobir Organisation Foundation in collaboration with some Nigerian banks is empowering thousands of women traders in Kwara state with interest free loans to boost their trade.
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