By Chimezie Godfrey
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has announced the official kickoff of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Survey.
The MPI Survey was virtually launched on Tuesday by the Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The minister said on the occasion, that Nigeria has joined many countries that have moved towards improving the efficiency of their decision-making processes through the evidence generated by MPI.
She said,”The consensus around the use of the MPI emerges from different approaches and global agreements, including the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs), which has been replaced by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to cover the multiple aspects of deprivation at the core of poverty and their inter-linkages.
“It is therefore an honour to join other strong voices to highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder engagements on poverty eradication, zero hunger, quality education, climate action and inclusion, all of which are central to the evidence generated by the MPI”.
Farouq noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has successfully empowered more than 10 million people out of extreme poverty through the many initiatives of Government, including the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), GEEP, Npower, NHGSFP and many more.
“This aspiration takes into cognizance the country’s current estimated population of about 200 million people, as well as the need for better evidence for programming.
“The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development therefore, stands ready to collaborate with different government agencies, donor organisations and private investors to shape policies and drive real impact in the use of MPI data to foster government accountability to citizens through improved multi-sectoral interventions targeted at the root of deprivations.
“In addition, the ministry will collaborate closely with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to conduct regular multidimensional poverty measurements alongside monetary measures at both national and sub-national levels to ascertain the true poverty status of Nigeria and use the findings to shape policy and programming,” she said.
The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry will partner with private sector actors using the special purpose vehicle of Social Investments to create a National and State poverty map/tracker which will help provide progress towards poverty reduction goals.
According to her, it will also collaborate with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning using MPI data to improve budget allocations by sector and State in order to target individuals, communities and areas needing dire attention.
The Minister thanked the World Bank Group, UNDP, OPHI, UNICEF, the High Commission of Canada, and other bilateral and multi-lateral bodies for their support towards eradicating extreme poverty by 2030.
Distinguished guests who gave goodwill messages at the virtual formal kick-off of the National Multidimensional Poverty Index Survey include the Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who was represented by Hon. Sanusi Garba Rikiji, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajiya Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of State, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, the High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Country Representative of UNDP Mr Mohaammed Yahaya, UNICEF,
Director OPHI, Statistician General National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Dr Yemi Kale, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters Ambassador Yemi Dipeolu and Sabine Alkire from the University of Oxford and the National Coordinator, National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) Mr Iorwa Apera.
