A report by StatiSense, drawing on data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2022 report, has highlighted Akwa Ibom as the state with the highest multi-dimensional poverty in the Niger Delta region. According to the report, Akwa Ibom has over 5.08 million people living in multi-dimensional poverty, followed by Rivers with 4.4 million and Cross River with 3.44 million.
Professor Gabriel Umoh, a Development Economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, supported the report’s findings pointing out that the private sector, which is the largest employer of labor, remains underdeveloped in the state.
Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Wednesday, Prof. Umoh noted emphasised the need for more industries to boost production for local consumption and export, which would create employment opportunities.
“As a development economist, I can tell you that these statistics are accurate,” Prof. Umoh stated. “Employment can come from the government, but the state can only employ a small proportion of its population of five to seven million. The private sector in Akwa Ibom is very thin. If we had vibrant industries producing for both consumption and export, they would expand and create more jobs.”
Mr. Tijah Akpan, Executive Director of Policy Alert, a Civil Society Organisation, also commented on the issue. He acknowledged that while Akwa Ibom is not performing poorly in terms of income poverty, it faces significant challenges in multi-dimensional poverty, which includes access to sanitation, basic education, and primary healthcare.
Akpan praised the current administration for its efforts to address the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable groups but expressed concern about the targeting of these groups. He pointed out that the government’s “compassionate programmes” often fall prey to political interests due to defective, discretionary, and unscientific targeting.
“This is why we have been advocating a State Statistical Agency,” Akpan said. “Although a law was passed to establish the agency, it has not yet been set up. Another solution is to involve the poor in designing solutions for them. Community representatives and civil society groups have a better understanding of the location, characteristics, and priorities of the poor. The government should collaborate with these groups,” he said.
Akpan also emphasized the importance of prioritizing the planning function to avoid discretionary infrastructure projects. He noted that the current administration began well by inviting public input into its ARISE agenda but needs to be more transparent with the outcomes and involve the public, especially civil society, in tracking its implementation.
