The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi has blamed security challenges in Africa on poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Obi who spoke at an international dialogue of global leaders in Athens, Greece over the weekend, stated that over 50 per cent of the population are multi-dimensionally poor.
The former Labour Party candidate in a statement issued by the spokesman of Peter Obi media, Ibrahim Umar, urged African leaders to acknowledge the global and generational transformations confronting the continent.
“Despite vast human and material resources, there remain significant unmet needs in global governance,” Obi stated.
He called for urgent attention in enhancing collective security, lifting people out of poverty, and reducing injustice and inequality in society.
“In Africa, we face high levels of insecurity, alarming corruption, worsening poverty, huge youth unemployment, and gross inequality.
“Over 50 percent of the world’s multidimensional poor live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria and Congo both have over 60 percent of their populations living in poverty and suffer from unacceptable levels of inequality.
“Non-state actors have now taken over the security in some African nations,” he regretted.
Obi stated many African countries underinvest in critical areas of development, such as health and education, and called on future leaders to “Take bold, accelerated, just, and transformative actions to achieve far-reaching, people-centered development.
“They must confront insecurity head-on and reassure citizens of the state’s ability to maintain security without being undermined by non-state actors.
“Corruption must be tackled with vigor. Leaders must invest in critical areas of development to improve health and education while addressing poverty, unemployment, hunger, and other pressing societal challenges.
“Nigeria has all the resources needed to move in this direction, and we remain committed to placing the nation on the right path.”