Nigerians have urged the Federal Government to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor to stem the rising level of poverty in the country.

The respondents told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that one way to eradicate poverty in the country was to raise the literacy level.

Mrs Philomena Matthew, a trader at Utako Market in the FCT called for the bridging of the gap between the poor and the rich through the re-distribution on income.

Matthew also noted that illiteracy was synonymous with poverty. She said that when citizens could read, write and think well, the nation would be on the path of poverty reduction if not eradication.

According to her, accountability by government at all levels was a stepping stone towards fighting corruption and eradication of poverty.

Also commenting, Mr Eric Nwanosike, a businessman, told newsmen that the country had not done enough in the fight against poverty.

Nwanosike called for the enforcement of the tax policy and accountability.

“With proper accountability and taxation we will in position to monitor and apply national resources for development to benefit the largest number of our citizens and prevent a situation where national resources will be grabbed by a few people”.

On his part, Mr Emmanuel Okoye, A UK-based Nigerian, said it was obvious that not much had been done to reduce the poverty level and therefore, suggested for human capital and infrastructural development as a way out.

Mr James Omakbo, another trader, observed that the various poverty reduction programmes had been hijacked by the privileged, thereby denying targeted people.

Omakbo urged government at all levels to restructure the programmes to ensure that the real poor people benefitted from them.