Former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien says Nigerians need opportunities to work and prosper, including access to land, loans, training, stable electricity, and consistent policies that enable them to farm, trade, and grow their careers and businesses.
He maintained that citizens do not need the politically motivated hand-outs under the guise of empowerment which would further impoverish them and enrich the political class.
Speaking at an event in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Essien who is also a former senator observed that the impact of empowerment programmes in years past had been minimal despite billions spent.
Essien argued that no serious government sustains poverty alleviation by handing out foodstuffs and cash to its citizens, instead, responsible nations ”focus on long-term investments that build human capacity and stimulate productivity.”
His words, “I am calling on the government to take another look at what has come to be known as empowerment and find better, more sustainable ways of providing safety nets. We must stop the routine sharing of food items and cash to people who will return to the same queue the next day. It is neither dignifying nor effective.
“The truth is, many people who were ‘empowered’ since 1999 are still standing in the same queue, waiting for the next round. The impact has been minimal despite billions spent over the years.
“What we need is infrastructure that supports markets, technology that opens new doors, and policies that attract investments,”;
Chief Essien also expressed disappointment with the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs at the federal and state levels, which he accused of becoming notorious pipelines for large-scale embezzlement.
“One would have thought that the creation of these ministries would make a significant impact on the welfare of the people. Unfortunately, they have become conduits through which public funds are stolen with utter recklessness. All the ministers of humanitarian affairs in Nigeria have been accused of misappropriating and embezzling billions of naira meant for people in distress,”; he said.
He, therefore called for governance reform and models that would build dignity and not dependency.
