The United Nations, General Assembly has since 1993 designated seventeenth October each year as International Day for the Eradication of Poverty to promote people’s awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution worldwide, particularly in developing countries.

This year’s celebration of the Day is significant as it is the first observance following the formal adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Poverty is a phenomenon that has cost lot of people their happiness, loved ones, and even lives.

As there is a fundamental correlation between extreme poverty and human rights, people living in poverty are disproportionately affected by many human rights violations, hence the need for its eradication in the society.

Speaking on the essence of the day, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr. Vero Okechukwu commended the UN Assembly for setting up such a day which according to her would help in drawing people’s attention especially the rich to the need to use
their resources in helping to improve lives of the poor and less privileged for a greater and better society.

Dr. Okechukwu used the opportunity to call on youths in the state to key into skill acquisition programme of the state government for self reliance, emphasising that the youths in the state have no reason for their inability to acquire skill, as the state government and the wife of the state Governor Chief Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano have provided avenues for free skill acquisition training and empowerments for them.

Also speaking , the Vicar St. John’s Anglican church Okpuno in Awka South Local Government Area, Venerable Onyekachukwu Egwuonwu stated that poverty though cannot be totally eradicated, can be reduced if political leaders could learn and adhere to tenets of good leadership and stop prioritizing their personal interest over that of the masses, civil servants going on retirement in due time to give way for young ones to be employed , and young people giving themselves to learning and hard work.
A youth, Miss Joy Chukwudolue who is an Educationist and a Cinematographer said youths should endeavour to learn at least one skill irrespective of their academic background, as it will go a long way in drastically reducing poverty in today’s society.

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