The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), said his administration was addressing what he described as the twin underlying drivers of insecurity namely poverty and youth unemployment.
Buhari stated this early Saturday in his nationwide broadcast to Nigerians to mark the 2021 Democracy Day.
He said interventions led by government and the Central Bank of Nigeria driving economic growth over the past six years are targeted mostly to the agricultural, services, infrastructure, power and health care sectors of the economy.
He listed his government’s achievements in agricultural sector, economy, efforts to eradicate poverty and infrastructural development among others.
He however said, “I will be the first to admit that in spite of our efforts and achievements which are there for all to see, there is still much more to be done and we are doing our best in the face of scarce resources and galloping population growth rate that consistently outstrips our capacity to provide jobs for our populace.
“Our overall economic target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is our goal notwithstanding COVID-19.
“In the last two years, we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like.
“I am very convinced that this 100 million target can be met and this informed the development of a National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. The specific details of this accelerated strategy will be unveiled shortly.”
