Dogara: Poverty threatening democracy in Africa

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, yesterday said if Africa was to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy, it was imperative that it addresses the scourge of poverty, which is hindering the common man from enjoying the gains of democracy. He also reiterated the resolve of the House to ensure that all outdated Nigerian laws and statutes are updated before two years of the 8th Assembly.

A statement issued yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, said the speaker made this known when he received a delegation from a group, “Save Democracy Group Africa”, led by former speaker of the House, Umar Ghali Na’Abba, in Abuja.

The speaker noted that the greatest threat to democracy is poverty and the attendant insecurity. He said: “The mere fact that the name of your group is Save Democracy means that democracy is under threat, otherwise we will not be talking about saving it and I couldn’t agree less,” the speaker said.

Dogara said the most important functions of democracy are to ensure life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and the three are interrelated and interconnected. “The greatest problem why democracy is facing serious threat in Africa is because of poverty. The poor man does not engage in democracy, he doesn’t have the tools and so is excluded from the joys of democracy. “The number of citizens we are losing daily on account of democracy and we know the first promise of government is to secure lives, then the liberty of the people.”