Large Percent Of Nigerians Still Living In Poverty In The Midst Of Plenty’

A Lecturer in Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, University, Lapai, Professor Eniola Oluwatoyin Olorunsanya has asserted that despite the huge abundance of human and natural resources, large percent of households population in Nigeria live in poverty.

According to her,  the level of poverty in the rural area continues to be on the increase which has reduced human development.

Olorunsanya stated this while delivering the 12th Inaugural Lecture of the University on the topic, “Poverty in the Midst of Plenty – The Challenges of Farming Households in Nigeria”.

The Professor of Agricultural Economics in the University pointed out that the country was, unfortunately, lagging behind in human development despite human and natural resource endowments and relatively high per capital gross national income because the government was yet adopt appropriate income diversification strategies.

Olorunsanya identified over growing population and adverse effects of climate change to having propensities to exacerbate poverty.

She also revealed that female-headed Households are at more poverty level than male-headed Households due to poor access to formal education and modern production procedures.
The Professor called on the government and other stakeholders to take urgent measures to reduce the menace of poverty to the nearest level among the citizenry.

She advocated manageable households size through family planning, proper education as well as good governance and deliberate steps to reduce corruption to salvage the country from the pangs of poverty suggesting the improvement in the farming system and development of Farmers Cooperative Societies.
In his address, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muhammad Nasir Maiturare said the topic for the lecture was very timing especially as the Federal Government is battling the daily challenges of food security and even distribution of limited resources for the development of the nation’s economy.

The Vice-Chancellor reaffirmed the Management’s readiness to support every intellectual efforts that would make IBB University stand at a very competitive position with her peers the world over.