The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) organised a Zonal Consultative Forum at Makurdi, Benue State on 28^th August 2003 as part of its Poverty Eradication Programme in Nigeria. The Forum was attended by Government officials, academics and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on poverty issues in the zone. The CDD commissioned research on the zone was presented and discussed at the Forum.

• Poverty is a multidimensional and multifaceted phenomenon, which goes beyond income. It is also political because it includes rights, power relations, and access to and distribution of resources; and social because it involves the question of human dignity, social relationships and opportunities.

• Although Nigeria is the sixth largest exporter of oil in the world, the resources of the country have not been used for the benefit of the poor.

• Poverty in Nigeria is experienced differently by various groups being influenced by gender, social status, age and location. For instance, while women in the urban areas rank income, education, health and housing as major priorities, their counterparts in the rural areas would prefer access to roads, markets and electricity.

• Many people particularly in the rural areas are not aware of various government programmes on poverty alleviation. Those that are aware in the urban areas think that the programmes are meant for politicians because the ordinary people do not benefit from the projects.

• Protracted military rule, corruption, poor policy prescription and implementation have contributed in no small measure to the escalation of the poverty situation in Nigeria.

• The Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), an IMF and World Bank inspired economic adjustment programme introduced in 1986 contributed immensely to the exacerbation of Nigerian economic problems with increased unemployment and collapse of social facilities with serious implications for poverty.

• Poverty is more severe with women than men as a result of the patriarchal nature of our society, which not only discriminates against women but also fails to recognize women labour and hinders access to opportunities.

• The communities purposively selected for the study in the zone included Kaseyo in Guma Local Government Area (LGA) and Makurdi in Makurdi Urban LGA of Benue State; Kaiama in Kaiama LGA and Ilorin in Ilorin West LGA of Kwara State; Shiroro in Shiroro LGA and Minna in Chengchaga LGA of Niger State; and Tsibiri in Giwa LGA and Kaduna in Kaduna North LGA of Kaduna State.

• The Communities studied and the participants defined poverty in terms of lack of income and inability to take care of basic needs such as health education, food and clothing.

• The communities attributed the causes of poverty to unemployment, corruption, illiteracy, environmental causes, lack of educated and highly placed children etc.

• The communities attributed the failure of previous anti-poverty programmes to lack of involvement of the people and politicization of the programmes.

• In both rural and urban areas, communities embark on self-help projects in addressing some of their community needs. They carry out community development projects like construction of feeder roads, drainages, community security (vigilante), and cleaning of markets, sinking wells etc.

• There is the need to improve the capacity of CSOs and government to engage in poverty studies, civic education, poverty education and build a critical mass that will promote pro-poor reforms.

• There is the need to consider gender issues in all development planning.

• The restoration of civilian rule in Nigeria in 1999 after several years of military rule has not guaranteed peoples participation.

 

a. There is the need to involve the people especially the poor in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of poverty alleviation programmes.

b. There is the need to have a social, economic and politically balanced understanding of the concept of poverty, particularly how it is perpetuated and sustained.

c. Every policy and programme conceived to address the problem of poverty should integrate women and rural empowerment.

d. There should be pro-poor policies and policies targeted at the poor especially in the areas of education, housing and health.

e. Communities should initiate and implement self-help projects, identify their needs, prioritise them and develop strategies to manage conflicts.

f. Communal farming activities should be encouraged since this zone is the food basket of the nation.

g. NGOs should work closely with communities, establish skill acquisition centres, embark on enlightenment campaigns, network among themselves, partner with government and act as watchdogs demanding accountability from government especially in the implementation of poverty programmes.

h. NGOs should engage in the enlightenment of communities and utilize local communication methods, engage in capacity building and provide information to communities.

i. NGOs should intensify efforts to monitor the formulation, implementation and evaluation of government budgets especially as it relates to the alleviation of poverty.

j. Chapter two of the Nigerian Constitution that provides for social, economic and cultural rights should be made enforceable in court and NGOs should engage in litigation against institutions and authorities that fail to implement these provisions.

k. The Government should create awareness on existing poverty alleviation programmes, promote participation of the people, pursue pro-poor policies, genuinely fight corruption and create the enabling environment for economic growth.

l. Government should evaluate the impact of its policies especially those on poverty alleviation.

Mr. Otive Igbuzor Programme Coordinator, CDD	Ms Hauwa Mustapha Zonal Researcher
Mal. Hussaini Abdu Zonal Researcher	Mr. R.A. Mom Communique Committee