By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
As the world sets aside 17th October, 2014, as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, with this year’s theme: ‘Leave No One Behind; Think, Decide and Act Together Against Extreme Poverty,’ the First Lady and President, African First Ladies Peace Mission, AFLPM, Dame Patience Jonathan, has called on African leaders to unite and fight against poverty in all its ramifications.
According to a press statement issued by the Office of the First Lady, signed by the Media Adviser to the First lady, Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, this was contained in a message delivered to a group of civil society activists and advocates, during a courtesy visit to her recently.
Emphasizing that the African continent is known to have the highest rate of poverty, destitution and the lowest per capita income, including a population of women and children malnourished and underweight, she called on African leaders to formulate proactive policies on sustainable basis, as a strategic approach to kicking poverty out of the continent once and for all.
She echoed that the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, including the post 2015 Development Agenda should be on the front burners of Africa development policies on how the continent can get rid of poverty and extreme hunger.
According to her, it is estimated globally that about 842 million people are undernourished and about 99 million of them are children under age five, with Africa having the highest number.
These concerns informed Mrs. Jonathan’s passion and drive for her pet project, A. Aruera Reachout Foundation, ARF, geared towards the vulnerable children and the less privileged in the society.
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