7th December, 2011
A PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State, Mr Kenneth Imasuagbon, has tasked all three tiers of government to tackle poverty in the country.
Imasuagbon said in Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area of state on Tuesday that the poverty level in the country was endemic and scandalous.
According to him, over 70 per cent of Nigerians are living below the poverty level.
He noted that if efforts at tackling the menace were not taken seriously, the consequences could be “too great for the country to handle.”
The gubernatorial aspirant noted that the security challenges being faced by the nation today were not unconnected with the poverty level in the country.
“It is obvious even to the blind that the poverty level in the country is assuming a dangerous dimension and the easiest way to stem the tide is to create employment opportunities.
“We can all see that the poverty level in the land is having adverse effect on all segments of the society. The problem of insecurity is as a result of poverty in the country.“
Imasuagbon advised that every Nigerian must be part of the process to fight poverty, saying: “I tell you that fighting poverty depends much on us as individuals.
“We should not sit on the fence and expect others to do it for us without our contributions. It is our fight as well as that of the three tiers of government.