Former secretary to Niger state government and chairman, Urban Shelter Limited, Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu, has called on President Mohammedu Buhari to frontally tackle the spread of hunger, malnutrition and other indices of poverty to avert looming revolution in the country.
Aliyu stated this while speaking at the 3rd public lecture of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University held in Lapai
He said the federal government has to control the rapid population growth and earnestly fight corruption to succeed in the battle to eradicate poverty in the country.
Speaking on the topic: Developing the Economy – Eradicating Poverty, Mallam Aliyu, posited that a growth rate of two per cent in the economy and a population growth rate of three per cent or more could only mean increasing poverty in the country.
He said, “poverty is a cancer that is already translating into hunger and malnutrition in certain areas of the country, it must be urgently checked to avert looming revolution.”
He stressed the need for equitable distribution of nation’s wealth and proper implementation of government policies and programme.
According to him, the government should create an open competitive economy as well as ensuring population control and family planning in order to reduce poverty to the barest minimum.
In his address, the Visitor to the University and governor of Niger state, Abubakar Sani Bello, represented by the deputy governor, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, described the presentation as apt in view of current economic situation in the country.
He said the lecture outlined a number of potent economic measures that could help in addressing the scourge of poverty in the country.
Pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing council of the university, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, called on government at all levels to put hands in glove for valid solutions to the problem of poverty that was fast destroying the entire nation.
He assured that the council and management will to do everything possible towards making the university champion intellectual discussions that would assist in the development of Niger state and the country in general.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare, pointed out that the university chose the topic for discussion because it was in line with the policy thrust of the current administration at both state and national levels.
