By Our Reporter
Cyndy Orji Foundation (COF), an NGO, has called on political stakeholders to be committed to the cause of alleviating poverty in Nigeria.
The Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Ndidiamaka Orji, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
She branded poverty as one of the forces militating against the social and economic development of Nigeria.
“The level of poverty in Nigeria is astronomically high and politically embarrassing, considering the enormous human and mineral resources the country is endowed with.
“Despite the huge resources successive government has committed to alleviate poverty, it seems no success has been achieved.
“All the poverty alleviation programmes have not been successful due to inadequate funding, lack of proper coordination and commitment, poor design and evaluation of programmes, among others.
“Government should ensure that programmes of poverty alleviation are well designed, evaluated and coordinated before they are carried out.
“Fraudulent officials should be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others handling poverty alleviation programmes,’’ she said.
She also called on government to be more committed to providing primary health care interventions, basic education and socio-economic needs of the less privileged in the society.
Orji appealed to government to support commitments and collaborations from civil society organisations targeted toward alleviating poverty.
The chief executive officer said that the foundation would build community schools and orphanage homes for children or keep them in their houses for assistance.
She added that the NGO was committed to work for a social good and make the less privileged better equipped in the society as part of its intervention to alleviate poverty.
