Poverty & insecurity: Where are the Governors?

Of the many social problems we have in Nigeria, poverty seems to be at the core and contributing to the emergence and exacerbation of other social vices. In the last National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, it was noted that over 82 million Nigeria are classified as poor which means the inability of having a real per capita expenditure of above N137,430 per year. Breaking it down means having a real per capita expenditure of below of N11,452 a month or N376.5 per a day per person. Using the above data, the report further revealed that 52.1% of our rural dwellers and 18.04% of urban residents are described as poor. Of the 36 states in Nigeria, about 16 have poverty rates of above 50% with 9 of the 10 states with the highest level of poverty from the North. With Ebonyi the only state from the South in the top 10 states with the highest level of poverty having about 79.8% of the citizens classified as poor, other states with very high poverty levels include Sokoto and Taraba both at 87.7%, Jigawa at 75.4%, Adamawa at 75.4% Zamfara at 74% and Yobe at 72.3%.

If we want to be sincere, the main reason for the high level of poverty we have in Nigeria is the pervasive failure of leadership particularly in our states. For instance, while Sokoto, Ebonyi and Yobe are among the worst performing states, their governors are busy with politics, planning and scheming for higher positions from 2023. If we are in a sane clime, any governor with a high poverty rate will be too ashamed of his performance and will never think of higher positions without first addressing the embarrassing poverty levels of his state. But alas, this is Nigeria!

In a sane clime, any governor with a high poverty rate will be too ashamed of his performance and will never think of higher positions without first addressing the embarrassing poverty levels of his state

What is even more disturbing is the way the poverty crisis is treated as a non-priority issue that deserves appropriate attention of the government. Most of the governors perceive the poverty problem as a Federal government issue and as such treat it with lamentable unseriousness and levity. If the governors attach any iota of seriousness to the poverty crisis, we should have read clear poverty reduction strategies including the number of jobs created from our different state governors. As the increasing poverty is highly linked to other social problems such as unemployment, insecurity and national unity, it is pertinent that our governors in collaboration with the Federal Government takes urgent steps to tackle the festering crisis. Two key points will help. While the first is how to use the forthcoming rainy season to jumpstart the solution to the poverty challenge and the second is how to critically rethink and restart a new process of human capital development to permanently and sustainably address the poverty crisis.

As the rainy season is fast approaching, it presents a fantastic opportunity to ensure that the very high rates of poverty in our different states is significantly reduced or eliminated. From the National Bureau of Statistics measurement, once an individual can achieve a real per capita expenditure of above N137,430 per year or N11,452 per month, he/she will not be classified as poor. If this is the case, the question is what can be done with minimal cost and supervision to ensure that each of the 82 million Nigerians classified as poor will permanently move out of poverty. A very simple option will be for our governors to identify some economic trees that do well in their respective states and initiate a process that will ensure that every poor villager is provided with at least 10 seedlings to plant in their homes. As each of the seedling will cost about N250.00, it means that the cost to the state will be only N2,500.00 per rural poor person. Interestingly while a seedling will cost about N250.00, each will also after three years when the seedling matures into a fruitful tree generate a revenue of about N25,000 every year. What it means that with a N2500 cost for 10 seedlings, the rural poor person will be able to earn about N250,000 every year from just 10 trees. It is that simple and with trees such as coconut, palm tree, avocado, soursop, orange and many other capable of generating such revenue per tree, this simple tree planting approach provides an excellent opportunity to eradicate poverty in Nigeria. Moreover, once a state is known for a particular product like coconut for instance, processing plant will naturally emerge to use the fruits as raw materials for other products and in the process creating more wealth and jobs.

Related to our pervasive poverty is our present approach to human capital/skills development, which can be described as a process of “accomplishment of natural growth” with little or no strategic plan, vision and guidance. It is similar to Jamaica’s then education system to which Professor William M. MacMillian described as ‘narrow and insecure’ in his 1938 work ‘Warning from the West Indies’. He warned that the education system in Jamaica was a major contributory factor to worsening inequality, poverty, unemployment, crime and social divisions. He beckoned on the government to act urgently to avoid social crisis and violence. Remarkably as he warned, widespread violence and social unrest ravaged the Caribbean with many killed and injured a year after his book was published.

While Professor William M. MacMillian has not published the Nigerian version of his book, it is clear that his warnings are all over Nigeria especially in the North where almost all the states particularly ones in North West and North East are in crisis and perceived as too unsafe to visit. Whereas we thought that Boko Haram is being contained to Borno state, recent and ongoing killings and destruction of farms and properties in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kastina, Kadunna, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue all suggest that Boko Haram might have expanded and mutated into varied criminal groups and activities.

To avoid escalation of the crsis, I deeply beckon and implore PMB and our Governors to act now! What is needed especially is an education system that can be described and developed from the concept of concerted cultivation and development. This approach will give direction and focus, imbue confidence and trust, create a sense of ownership and belonging to our children and youths. Failure to do this is an inevitable invitation and preparation for the exponential escalation of social crisis higher than Boko Haram.

*Dr. Ngwu is an Economist/Associate Professorof Strategy, Corporate Governance and Risk Management, Lagos Business School and a Member, Expert Network, World Economic Forum.