Joel Ajay

The National Coordinator,  African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development,African Peer Review Mechanism, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, Nigeria, Princess  Gloria  Akobundu says poverty rate of the nation will be further plummeted when the Agency concludes its ongoing transformation process.

This was contained in a statement signed on Saturday in Abuja by Abolade Ogundimu the  Media Assistant to Princess Akobundu.

Akobundu made this known while addressing the joint Committee of Senate and House of Representatives on Cooperation and Integration in Africa.

“NEPAD is undergoing major reform that will enable it function effectively in human and socio-economic development of the nation.

“Poverty eradication is one of the mandates of NEPAD, complete transformation to AUDA will greatly enable the agency to greatly contribute to poverty Eradication in Nigeria.

“By the time AUDA programmes gets to implementation stage and it gets necessary cooperation, poverty rate will be highly reduced and the impact will be well felt across the country.

“The Federal Government, led by  President Muhammadu Buhari has been leading the transformation  drive through various processes already on motion, we hope the National Assembly will also complement those efforts with required legislation when the need arise,” she said.

Following African Union (AU ) adoption of NEPAD’s transformation to AUDA,  president Buhari approved the transformation in Nigeria which led to inauguration of a Committee in order to ensure full domestication of the agency for effective discharge of its mandates.

Akobundu therefore presented 2020 budget proposal to the joint committee and explained its major items.

During his remark, Chairman of the Committee,  Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, urged the current leadership of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, to ensure fulfilment of its role in nation building.

“Poverty rate is a major concern to the nation , millions of children begging on the streets, banditry, insurgency and ethnic clashes in parts of the country.

“Statistics show that more than 90 million Nigerians still live below poverty line and that will continue to be a major concern of this National Assembly.

This Committee is urging you to carry out your mandate on poverty alleviation in the country.

“Your agency as a development agency, has roles to play in nation building, make sure you deliver on them so that posterity will have good memory of your stewardship,” he said.

Similarly,  the co-chairman of the Committee,  Honourable Muhammed Umar Bago, said the  National Assembly was passionate about realisation of AUDA-NEPAD mandates, assuring legislative supports when necessary.

“The agency has to deliver on its mandates especially, in the area of poverty Eradication and development of the nation.

“It must be more determined to actualise its mandate so that the nation can better appreciate its relevance.

“The National Assembly was established to serve the people,  don’t hesitate to engage us in areas where you feel our inputs are required for you to actualise your mandates.

“Nigeria is a major donor to African Union (AU) and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) funds, you must ensure the nation also benefits from such common purse,” he said.

At the end of the budget defence, the joint committee’s leadership and members unanimously approved AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria’s 2019 budget performance as well as 2020 budget proposal on Friday, October 25,2019.

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