To accelerate Nigeria’s exit from the current economic recession, a civil society group, Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET) wants governments at all levels to invest more in development projects across the country.
In the last quarter of 2020, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced that Nigeria’s economy again slipped into recession after two consecutive quarters of negative growth.
In the third quarter of the year, the gross domestic product (GDP) showed that the country’s economy contracted by 3.6%, from -6.1% in the second.
The Chairman of the group, Chris Azor, and the Organising Secretary, Kenechukwu Makwudo, said in Onitsha, Anambra State on Sunday that more attention must be given to security, social infrastructure, agriculture, youth and women empowerment as well as general poverty alleviation programmes.
The group also urged the government to ensure there was sufficient transparency and accountability in service delivery in the execution of the projects.
While commending the Federal and state governments for the decision to revert to the January to December budget implementation circle, the group said the arrangement would ensure the timely implementation of fiscal policies in the economy.
Also, the group implored the government to partner with the individuals and groups committed to addressing all forms of insecurity challenges in sections of the country through reforms, technology and partnerships.
Sequel to the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the group called for strict observation and compliance with the necessary protocols to flatten the curve of the deadly virus.
The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday reported about 576 new infections of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
“Even as Nigeria is part of the global mechanism for procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, we are ready to embark on the sensitization and mobilization of citizens on the dangers posed by disease,” the group said.
The group said its members in the 21 local government areas of the Anambra state have been trained and sensitized to move into all the 330 wards to educate the people.
The exercise, the group said, was to encourage compliance with the non-pharmaceutical intervention protocols in curbing the spread of the deadly virus and to protect the lives of citizens.
Besides, the group said its volunteers were already assisting other health workers and stakeholders in the state in the identification, contact tracing and testing of citizens. MEDIATRACNET
