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NAPEP Faults 70% Poverty Index On Nigeria
From Cletus Akwaya in Abuja, 11.18.2004
National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) yesterday debunked the poverty index on Nigeria used by development partners, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the media, which claimed that 70 per cent of Nigerians were living below the poverty line. It described the figures as unrealistic and unscientific. It also revealed that the Federal Government has earmarked N2.5 billion to fund micro- credit activities of the Programme in the 2005 budget awaiting approval by the National Assembly. National Coordinator of NAPEP, Dr. Magnus Kpakol who spoke to THISDAY at the meeting with State Coordinators of Programme in Abuja said it was not empirically possible for the poverty level in Nigeria to be at 70 per cent when the average poverty level for Africa was put at 50 per cent . He said since 1999, there has been continued increase in the consumption level of energy by Nigerians an indication of increasing capacity to purchase adding, with the steady growth rate recorded in the economy since 1999, the poverty level could not be as high as 70 per cent. "I don't believe that the poverty level is 70 per cent and the reasons are the following. The African average that is published by the African Union is 50 per cent. Because of the disproportionate share of Nigeria's population in African population its doubtful that our poverty rate will be much higher than 50 per cent and then have an African average of 50 per cent. "The other reason is that if you look at energy consumption in Nigeria, it declined heavily from 1992-'98 but has been rising since 1999 till now. That suggests improvement in activity. If you have improvement in activity like that rate, it does not go with the rising poverty rate," Kpakol explained. He said nobody could say for sure what exactly the poverty rate was in the country. Since it has not been measured of recent. "The last time we took a stock was in 1996 when we had 65. 6 per cent rate but even that rate has come under question and scrutiny as to the methodology that was used so what some people have been doing is that they have been extrapolating from 1996 to now saying since it was 65.6 per cent, it must be 70 per cent now.
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