Campaign 2015 + International, a Non Governmental organization, has scored the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) low in Nigeria, identifying corruption as the cause of the underdevelopment in the country.
The group dropped the hint at a one day program: tagged “Sustained National and Regional Civil Society Engagement on a post-2015 Development Framework” at the South-south Zonal Deliberation on Post-2015 Agenda held on Tuesday 8th January, 2013 at Rumuodumaya Civic Centre, Rumuokoro, Port Harcourt.
In an opening remark the Chairperson of the event, Dr. Nse Udoh said the post 2015 campaign is to assess the level of the MDGs and identify the gaps and the lapses so that Government and agencies can respond faster to the challenges before the 2015 dateline.
The Chairperson said although the process and the programmes is still ongoing, government and the civil society must come together to draw up plan for the success of the program before 2015. She stated that the MDG5 major tool is to give life to the people by eradicating hunger and poverty to the bearest minimum by fulfilling all the 8 Goals indicated by the United Nations since 2000.
Dr. Udoh said the 8 goals were set as a parameters or standard for development in countries of the world and wonder if Nigeria has achieved the purpose of setting the goals, especially in the eradication of poverty amongst the populace.
The Chairperson advocated accountability mechanism in all the facet of government to monitor the implementation of projects by the MDGs at all levels.
Briefing the press during the event, the convener of campaign 2015 international Dr. Tola Winjobi said the Millennium Development Goals have failed to achieve the purpose especially now that the deadline is very close. Dr. Winjobi said that the purpose of the MDGs is to eradicate poverty, promote human dignity and equality, and achieve peace, democracy and environmental stability.
He lamented that in Nigeria and the South-south, the achievement of MDGs is below expectation due to bad leadership, hunger, starvation, preventable diseases, moral decadence and corruption which is treated with levity. The convener posited that about 72% Nigerians are still living in poverty according to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics 2011.
Dr. Winjobi said the civil society must contribute positively to fight against greedy oil cartels and political saboteurs working against our refineries and failure and challenged the process of electricity failure requires extremism, among others.
Earlier, the South-South Cordinator of the group, Mr. Surveyor Efik had told participants the importance of the meeting with regard to civil society in the South-south region of Nigeria and the possibilities of contributing to the process of being part of those that will drive the process of the new phase of MDGs after 2015.
In his contribution, the Rivers State Director of National Orientation agency (NOA), Mr. Oliver Worlugbom urged Civil society in the state to dialogue with government to raise key issues on the area of development. According to him, NGOs shape the opinions, calling on Government, those incharge to put more effort before 2015.
In his good-will message, Mr. Collins Umor called for more collaboration between the NGOs and the communities. He said community participation was key to development as community voice needed to be heard on all issues concerning them. Mr. Umor further stated that ‘partner for peace program’ was a unique approach to peace building that seeks to promote business and creates working relationship with one another. He told participants that the partner for peace program has three component voices, network and action and called on people to avail themselves the opportunity for grants in the area of peace building. The highlight of the event was group work, group photograph and interactive session.###
Pius Dukor
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