The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities has blamed bad governance and corruption for the rising poverty rate in Nigeria.
The CDD Executive Director, David Anyaele, made this known in a statement on Monday to commemorate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, held every October 17 annually.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Dignity for All in Practice’.
Anyaele, in the statement, faulted Nigerian leaders for the rising poverty in the country.
He said, “This demoralising poverty situation in Nigeria is manmade; fuelled by bad governance and corruption in the high places. Unfortunately, when people fall into poverty, their chance of acquiring a disability becomes wider, as poverty has been linked as a major source of disability, even as disability pushes families into extreme poverty.
“The current set of Nigerian leaders have failed to reduce poverty in the land. They have consciously or unconsciously contributed to the growing number of persons with disabilities due to their inability to tackle the increasing number of Nigeria going into extreme poverty.”
Speaking on the 2023 election, Anyaele called on candidates to make poverty reduction a key campaign issue.
He said, “As the 2023 general elections are around the corner, we call on Nigerians to make poverty reduction a key campaign issue.
“Political party candidates for the State Houses of Assembly, governorship, National Assembly, and the presidency must tell Nigerians how they intend to bend the poverty curves in Nigeria.
“Citizens should prepare to hold elected officials accountable for poverty reduction as the poverty situation in Nigeria is manmade, majorly because of bad governance.”
