Tackle Growing Poverty ... Reps Tells Buhari

Members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday at a plenary session complained that poverty was biting harder in the country and urged the Federal Government to tackle the problem headlong.

They spoke as President Muhammadu Buhari wrote the House on his plan to present the 2018 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper to the lawmakers.

The President's communication was read to members by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara , thus setting the stage for laying the estimates of the 2018 budget before the National Assembly any time soon by Buhari.

The lawmakers worry about poverty came as they passed a motion to mark the World Poverty Day.

The motion was sponsored by the Chairman, Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Muhammad Wudil.

They resolved to“call on the Federal Government to be more effective in implementing various programmes aimed at tackling poverty in the country”

One member from Osun State, Mrs . Ayo Omidiran, described how poverty was biting most Nigerians, including lawmakers.

She stated, "There is no member here who is not feeling the pangs of poverty. Many of our constituents depend on us for their basic needs, they are feeling the pangs of poverty.

People now go to their neighbours houses to seek help, which is embarrassing already. In turn, many of them run to us, asking for one favour or another”