‘88m Nigerians Live Below Poverty Line’

The Director of the Centre for Ethnic Conflict Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Mark Anikpo says 88 million Nigerians live on less than one dollar per day while 1.5billion world wide live in similar  condition.

Prof Anikpo said this in a paper entitled Ideological Imperative of Corporate Survival in Global Recession Need for Paradigm Shift at the AIESEC Alumni  Management Development Studies 2009 in Port Harcourt.

The university don blamed the situation on greed in resource accumulation by persons in position of authority.

He also said that  the current global economic meltdown was an indication that capitalism  as an economic system has failed, a situation that called for restructure in the global economic framework

“On the other hand capitalism laissez-fair approach inevitably ensures not  only periodic crisis but also injustice in the distributive system’

Prof Anikpo whose paper was read by Dr Steve Wodi said that the greed of capitalism for endless individual accumulation must be put in check if the problem of poverty is to be solved.

In his words, ‘in other words, there is need for paradigm shift in the ideological framework of the global economic system.

“And that means a return to socialist economic values that guarantee stability in the global system.

In his paper entitled “Strategies for Corporate Survival in a Global Recession,  Dr C.O Ofurum of the Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Port Harcourt stressed the need for the present administration to ensure that the current political reform is carried to its logical conclusion and  also called for infrastructural development in the country.

Earlier, the national president of AIESEC  Alumni, Sir Nnamdi Benson said that the meeting was to educate members of the society on the impact of the global economic meltdown.

Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Nyesom Wike (right) in a chat with Hon Marcus Nle Eji, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, during the thanksgiving service to mark the 2nd anniversary of Governor Amaechi at the Corpus Christi Cathedral last Sunday. Photo: Chris Monayanga