Recurring budget deficit hindering our ability to fight poverty, others —FG

By Victor Ahiuma-young, reporting from Geneva, Switzerland

THE Federal Government, yesterday, told the international community in Geneva, Switzerland, that Nigeria’s recurring national budget deficit caused by the volatility in the global oil market and insurgency, especially in the North-East, had compounded its efforts at generating sustainable income, employment opportunities,  poverty eradication and promotion of better livelihood for  the citizenry.

The government also told the over 4,000 delegates from 187 countries that Nigeria was not isolated from the devastating effects of global warming, declaring that “a manifestation of the adverse climatic condition in its domain was the recent outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis, which resulted in the death of over 1,000 people predisposed by the extreme heat waves which assisted an uncontrollable meningitis bacteria multiplication.”

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who headed the Nigerian delegation to the 106th International Labour Conference, ILC, sought the assistance of the international community, especially ILO, to address some of the challenges.

On global warming, the minister pledged Nigeria’s commitment to the Green Initiative as climate change posed the greatest threat to the world, especially Africa.

He said: “The adverse effects can be found everywhere in our ecosystem, which have manifested in the difficulties associated with the generation of sustainable income, employment opportunities, eradication of poverty and the promotion of better livelihood for the citizenry.

“A manifestation of the adverse climatic condition in my country was the recent outbreak of cerebro-spinal meningitis which resulted in the death of over 1000 people predisposed by the extreme heat waves which assisted an uncontrollable meningitis bacteria multiplication.  We therefore cannot but agree with the Director-General, that the mitigation of climate change is the most paramount element in shaping the present state and future condition of work.”

 

While explaining that Nigeria’s commitment to fighting climate change  was crystallized in the increasing and substantial budgetary allocations to this sector over the last two years, Senator Ngige noted that Nigeria had put in place measures to tackle the challenges of climate change.

“For example, a roadmap was developed to exit gas flaring in the country by year 2020 and accelerated actions have been taken to reduce desertification through the National Agency for Great Green Wall (NAGGW).

‘’Machineries have also been put in place to tackle flooding and cleaning up of oil pollution in the Niger Delta, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.”

The Minister also noted that the government had equally taken major steps by putting in place huge investments in the development of infrastructures, targeting solar, wind and hydro as cleaner sources of energy.

“in addition, a Sovereign National Green Bond, SNGB, aimed at raising special funds from the capital market that would be used for green projects, especially renewable energy (solar), as well as afforestation projects that would help reduce emissions in line with National Determined Contributions, NDC, would soon be launched.

“We remain committed to the pursuit of an African continent built on security, inclusive growth and sustainable development through Africa’s Agenda 2063. Our challenge, however, is how to attract the required resources to finance a recurring deficit national budget, occasioned by the volatility in the global oil market and insurgency, especially in the North East of Nigeria.  In this light, the assistance of the international community will be very critical.”

Senator Ngige reiterated the federal government’s call for  the upgrade of ILO’s office in Nigeria to a full Country Office as earlier requested, to effectively serve the interest of the English speaking West African Countries.

‘’This will, indeed, be a Centenary gift to Nigeria,’’ he said.

 

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