Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has decried the increasing rate of poverty in the country.
He said this during his appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday.
It comes a day after British Prime Minister, Theresa May, said Nigeria has the highest population of poor people in the world.
“Poverty is increasing, children out of school have moved from 10 million to about 12 million,” Mr Obi said.
He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government of continuously borrowing money rather than fixing the economy to enable the rich and poor fit in comfortably.
The former governor claimed, “You are borrowing money and the issues that it is supposed to affect are not coming down. In 2017 unemployment moved from 14.8 per cent a high rate which means more people have lost their jobs; the economy is shrinking.”
He stated that Nigeria’s debt level has increased, stressing that the entire capital vote for the year was borrowed, including the previous debt which the country has been living on.
According to the former governor, state governments are in distress as a result of the debt level of the nation.
He said this was meant to be a major concern for the Federal Government.
Obi also decried the increasing rate of illiteracy in the country, purporting that the case is severe in the North East.
He said, “In a state in the North, the number of children that sat for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) is 128; a state that is about five million people.”
Speaking in South Africa, a day before arriving Nigeria, Mrs May had said: Much of Nigeria is thriving, with many individuals enjoying the fruits of a resurgent economy. Yet 87 million Nigerians live on less than $1.90 a day – making it home to more very poor people than any other nation in the world.”
