Internal Security, Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Growth in Nigeria

Abstract

After the scraping of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), contrarily to the advise of the Stephen Orasanye Committee, which had recommended merger with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), to create a National Empowerment and Employment Agency, there is no poverty eradication, job creation and inclusive growth Agency or Commission or a Federal Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social Inclusion at the national level in Nigeria that can assist in the task of implementing the N500 Billion approved in the 2017 National Budget. Moreover, such a Ministry, Commission or Agency must device ways of training the recipient in some marketable skills that will enable them get jobs immediately and be taken off the welfare programme. In this Policy oriented paper, a strong case is made for the creation of such a Federal Ministry or an Agency or Commission. It must be noted that with seventy one percent (71%) of Nigerians currently in poverty, creating such a Federal Ministry of Poverty Eradication and Social
 Inclusion to handle their case, is not just necessary but even an imperative. We further discuss also why and how it shall succeed where others had failed. The only alternative we see is a situation where as the security, economic, political and social crises intensify, Nigerian Government, even if it is simply for its self-preservation, will be forced by the objective conditions, to move drastically against the interests of the dominant classes and groups. These are the ones that have captured and hijacked economic, political and social power for their exclusive use, and are not eager to promote inclusive growth, nor poverty eradication, and job creation, on a serious note.