ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) has called on the Federal Government to implement a comprehensive social protection program as a necessary step to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable in the country. Andrew Mamedu, the AAN Country Director, made the plea in a statement released on Tuesday in Abuja, stating that initiatives must be taken to create decent and sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for women and youths. He added that a comprehensive social program must include the implementation of price controls to help stabilize prices and ensure that essential goods remain accessible to all Nigerians.
Mamedu raised concerns about the prevalence of corruption within social protection programs in the past and urged the government to put in place stringent measures to combat corruption and ensure that support is effectively delivered to those who need it most. He cited the recent Human Development Report (HDR) ranking Nigeria as 161 out of 193 countries globally, with an HD Index (HDI) value as low as 0.548, as evidence of the dire human development crisis in the country.
Mamedu called for urgent reform to improve Nigeria’s human development crisis and demanded immediate action to address the dire realities confronting the nation. The current HDI value and ranking of Nigeria is a huge setback, and the impact of the findings in the report on the Nigerian populace cannot be overstated. The most vulnerable in the country bear the brunt of this crisis, and the government must take immediate action to address the situation.
Mamedu identified the National Multidimensional Poverty Index as 0.257, which indicates that poor people in the country experience just over one-quarter of all possible deprivations. Despite Nigeria’s vast natural resources and higher GDP compared to Libya and South Africa, its HDI remains comparatively low. He pointed out that this discrepancy underscores a critical issue, which is the failure of economic growth to translate effectively into improvements in the well-being of Nigerian citizens.
Mamedu urged the Federal Government, as the custodians of the nation’s future, to act decisively and swiftly to prevent millions of Nigerians from a future of perpetual suffering and despair. He also assured AAN’s readiness to collaborate with the government and other stakeholders to chart a path towards sustainable development and prosperity for all Nigerians.
