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Nigeria Asked To Intensify Battle Against Deprivation

Nigeria and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have been asked to intensify their battle against deprivation in order to prevent crisis from setting back recent development advances, made in … Continue reading Nigeria Asked To Intensify Battle Against Deprivation


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United Nations Development ProgrammeNigeria and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have been asked to intensify their battle against deprivation in order to prevent crisis from setting back recent development advances, made in economic development.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) made the demand in its 2014 Human Development report on Nigeria, entitled; ‘Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerability and Building Resilience’.

The report addressed issues surrounding human vulnerability and highlighted policies needed to maximise future opportunities.

According to this year’s human development index, Sub-Saharan Africa, has made much progress in health, education and income between 2010 and 2013. However, the region was still the most unequalled in the world. Says UNDP’S of the human inequality index.

An equivalent of 72 per cent of 585 million people are vulnerable. They are either living in poverty with overlapping deprivations in education and health or at great risk of falling back into poverty.

According to UNDP’S Representative to Nigeria, Mr Daouda Toure, the lack of preparedness to disaster, prevention and early warning was costing Africa, including Nigeria, useful capital resources for human development.

This year’s report puts Nigeria Human Development Index value for 2013 at 0.5, which was low in the  human development category, positioning the country at 152 out of 187 countries and territories in the region.

In spite of this position, the government insists it had  done well in achieving millennium development goals 1, 2, 3,and 4 which addresses poverty eradication, universal basic education, gender equality and reduction in child mortality.

Ahead of 2015, when international funding for the millennium development goals will stop, this year’s report is expected to set a post in  2015, development agenda for Nigeria.

Experts say African Nations, must think greatly about policies that would encourage production as well as eliminate barriers to competitiveness in the international market.

In the face of challenges including insecurity, lack of electricity and other disasters that has affected the country in recent times, Nigeria needs policies and political will, that will improve on the little successes contained in this year’s report.