Peace Corps of Nigeria to address UN on population, development

Peace Corps of Nigeria will be addressing the 47th session of the United Nations on population and development in New York today as an affiliate of the economic and social affairs of the United Nations (ECOSOC).

The national commandant, Ambassador Dickson Akoh, disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja while departing for New York with four other officers of the corps.

Speaking on the theme of the meeting which is ‘assessment of the status of implementation of the programme of action of the international conference on population and development’, Akoh said Nigeria in spite of its huge population shows a lot of disparity between infrastructural and human development.

“Nigeria placed more emphasis on infrastructural development while human development is abandoned and this may spell doom for Nigeria if nothing is done to close the gap between infrastructural and human development with the pace its population is growing,” he said.

He added that his group will advocate for the encouragement of the developing nations to make both infrastructural and human development top priorities saying when that is done, the world can then overcome the challenges over population is posing at it.

The conference which Akoh described as an avenue of sharing ideas with different countries and NGOs in attendance will afford them the opportunity to make contribution and also learn from other presenters.

He promised to domesticate the same advocacy, what Nigeria should do right and how things ought to be for the country’s benefit. Responding to question on challenges of census in Nigeria, Akoh is of the view that practical commitment to get census’ figure right is paramount.

“We have policies that have to do with census issue but the commitment on the part of those who go to field, the sensitization and enlightenment aspect are lacking because when the last census was held most people didn’t come out because it means nothing to them. Our problem in Nigeria is how to holistically implement government laudable policies. Ones those who are charged with that responsibility are honest and show genuine commitment we will overcome such challenges,” he said.