Abstract:
Abstract
Poverty and crime have become a draconian monster confronting our society in all
spheres. The incidences of poverty rose from 28.1% in 1980 to 65.6% in 1996 and
have risen to more than 70% today. All of these have a direct bearing on the rate
of crime in the country. Nigeria currently scores low in terms of the widely
accepted UNDP Human Development Index (HDI). This implies a low level of
overall societal welfare and development. This was the extent to which poverty
and crime stood in Nigeria before the establishment of the National Poverty
Eradication Programme (NAPEP) in 2001 by the then Obasanjo administration
to fight this draconian monster confronting the Nigerian society and be
completely wiped out by the year 2010. Having gone beyond 2010 with no end in
sight to the challenges of poverty and crime in Nigeria, can we say NAPEP was a
success story? Considering the enormous financial support the programme
enjoyed nationally and internationally, does it reflect on the current rate of
poverty and crime in the country? Has NAPEP truly addressed the pandemic of
crushing poverty and crime in Nigeria as mandated fourteen (14) years after its
establishment and operation? This paper assessed the impact of NAPEP as
a poverty and crime control mechanism in Nigeria. The paper relies on journals,
books, conference papers, government official reports, reports from international
organisations, and observations, as well as newspapers and magazines as sources of data
and relevant information. It is purely an evaluative research, carried out under the
platform of the Marxist/conflict theory. The paper finds that the rate of poverty
and crime is still high despite the fourteen (14) years of NAPEP fighting against
it. The paper therefore recommends adjustment of our political and economic
system, provision of infrastructure as well as development of human capital
among others as measures to addressing these challenges.
