Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has commended Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) in the efforts to support the federal government’s efforts in eradicating poverty in Nigeria.
The commendation was made during DDI’s 20th anniversary celebration in Abuja over the weekend.
The vice president who was represented by Hajia Maryam Uwais of the Office of the Vice President, said DDI had committed itself to collaborating with the federal government through its various programmes aimed at alleviating poverty in the country.
He said in the efforts to alleviate poverty in the country, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration had initiated laudable programmes to fight the scourge.
He said this government has done tremendously well in trying to eradicate poverty, stressing further that a lot of programmes had been introduced by this present government.
He noted that one of such is the youth empowerment scheme domiciled in the office of the vice president. “And the presidential Reduction Initiative now approved by federal executive council (FEC) under the National Poverty Reduction with growth strategy to leverage the successes achieved so far with the Economic Recovery and growth programmes of which the vice president Yemi Osinbajo is chairman.
According to him, “poverty is not just lack of money, it is lack of shelter, clothing, food; it also encompasses what we knew today as poverty.”
Earlier in his remarks, the DDI Executive Director, Mr. Adamu Garba had said “the organisation is a registered non-profit venture that is out to complement government efforts to alleviate poverty in the country.”
Garba said his organisation has provided connections for no fewer than 2000 businesses among Nigerians, pointing out that, beneficiaries were drawn from 29 out of the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
In bridging the gap, DDI urged for the ideals of participatory, bottom – up development, ensuring that benefiting communities are actively involved throughout the process.
The executive director stated that 600,000 farmers had so far been assisted while no fewer than 20,000 farmers- groups and 8,000 cooperative societies also benefited from this gesture.
Chairperson, Board of Trustees (BoT) of DDI, Dr. Lydia Umar, appreciated the federal government’s efforts in partnering with the group to fight poverty in Nigeria.
