NIGERIA MAY NOT ACHIEVE MANDATE BY 2015

The Department for International Development (DFID) has raised alarm that the current status of Nigeria in its drive towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) showed a very gloomy picture, an indication that the goals may be unachievable by 2015.

DFID's observation was made known in Lagos by the Regional Co-coordinator of South West Nigeria for DFID, Mr. Adesina Fagbenro-Bryon, during the South West regional conference on MDGs.

As a way-out of the doldrums, the DFID boss advised the country to 'take urgent and drastic steps towards reversing the current unimpressive trend the country is drifting towards if it is to achieve the MDGs target. With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the MDGs, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has called on world leaders to attend a summit in New York from September 20 to 22, 2010 to boost progress towards the MDGs,' he said.

The planned conference, he explained, was in support of country's efforts towards poverty alleviation and delivery of the dividends of democracy which, according to him, was expected to achieve an improvement, tracking and management of MDGs in each of the South West states with a view to develop ideas and suggestions regarding the management of population, poverty, education, health and gender.