Communiqué

NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM ON POVERTY ERADICATION

Abuja

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE FORUM ON POVERTY ERADICATION ORGANISED BY THE CENTRE FOR DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT (CDD) FROM 1-4 OCTOBER 2003 AT ABUJA, NIGERIA.

PREAMBLE

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), an independent research and training institution dedicated to democratic development and peace building in Africa with special focus on West Africa organised a National Consultative Forum on Poverty Eradication in Nigeria. The Consultative Forum is a continuation of the CDD Poverty Eradication programme, which was preceded by a participatory research and Consultative Fora at the zonal levels in the country.

The aim of the National Consultative Forum was to review the poverty situation in the country, pool together the report of zonal researchers, solicit for the views of interest groups and map out strategies to deepen the work of civil society organisations in poverty eradication in Nigeria.

The Forum observed that:

  1.      Poverty denigrates, excludes, mutilates and kills hence there is the need for a renewed reflection and urgent action to redress it.

  2.      The eradication of poverty is a major challenge facing Nigeria because majority of people in Nigeria are poor.

  3.      Poverty arises from lack of choice and capability, material deprivation, social exclusion and denial of human rights.

  4.      Poverty is not a natural condition but it is created by an uncaring international community, unaccountable governments and societies.

  5.      Nigeria which was one of the richest 50 countries in the early 1970s has retrogressed to become one of the 20 poorest countries in the world today.

  6.      Poverty in Nigeria has certain unique characteristics, which include among other things the fact that the majority of the poor are located in the rural areas; there are more poor people in the Niger Delta, North East and North West zones; poverty affects women more negatively and it is in the midst of plenty.

  7.      The Poverty situation in Nigeria is exacerbated by many factors including political instability, lack of accountability, mismanagement and corruption, poor economic policies, poor policy formulation, implementation and evaluation, ethnic and religious conflicts and lack of involvement of the poor.

  8.      Discretionary ad-hoc handouts and market led growth with the hope of trickle down effect cannot eradicate poverty.

 9.      All levels of government (Federal, State and Local Government) and organs of government (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) have roles to play in poverty eradication.

  The Forum made the following recommendations towards Poverty Eradication in Nigeria.

  1.      There is the need for a more nuanced understanding of poverty with the complexities surrounding it relying on the knowledge of the experts of poverty i.e. the poor people themselves.

  2.      There is the need to entrench the rule of law and the culture of constitutionalism.

  3.      There is the need for government structures and processes to be transparent, decentralised and participatory.

  4.      Poverty Eradication policies should tap into the motivation, desire, determination, imagination, knowledge, networks and organisations of poor women, men and children.

  5.      Policies designed to tackle poverty eradication should address the nature of economic and political relationships and their rooting in injustice and in the rapacious exploitation of people.

  6.      The Federal Government should come up with a comprehensive poverty eradication policy based on a participatory methodology involving the poor and experts committed to poverty eradication.

  7.      Legislators should focus on pro-poor laws and integrate poverty eradication programmes in their linkages with their constituencies.

  8.      The legislature should embark on a comprehensive review of the 1999 Constitution and make social, economic and cultural rights guaranteed in the constitution justiceable.

  9.      The Nigerian State and people should resist international agencies that tend to promote anti-poor programmes like privatisation and massive devaluation of the currency.

  10. The legislature should expedite action on the Freedom of Information bill to facilitate easier access to poverty eradication information.

  11. The Judiciary should be bold to make landmark judgments that protect the rights of the poor.

  12. The communities should be involved in the conceptualisation, planning, implementation and evaluation of poverty eradication policies and programmes and budget making politics.

  13. The communities should organise to promote and protect their rights especially economic, social and cultural rights.

  14. Civil society organisations and labour unions should mobilise rural communities and advocate for pro-poor policies and programmes. They should mobilize against the withdrawal of subsidies from social services and against increase in the price of petroleum products.

  15. The media should carry out investigative journalism, be pro-poor and proactive.

  16. Universities and research institutes should conduct, publish and disseminate information that will be useful in poverty eradication.

  17. The international donors should facilitate and not dictate the development and implementation of programmes in partner countries.

  18. Civil Society organisations should co-ordinate poverty reduction programmes at the communities, network among themselves and influence policies at the global arena.

  19. Government at all levels should strengthen, co-ordinate and reform the existing poverty reduction programmes to improve efficiency and produce the desired outcome. Government cannot shirk its responsibility of providing for the well being of the people.

  20.  Gender should be mainstreamed in all policies and programmes especially poverty eradication policies and programmes.

  21. Government should immediately start providing houses for the poor, ensure food security and provide adequate health and qualitative education.

  22. Every government policy and programme should be pro-poor since majority of Nigerians are poor.