POVERTY ALLEVIATION POLICIES: CATALYST FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA.

The word poverty had been and is still one of the most familiar and serious problems facing different economies of the world. While the developed countries try to minimize this menace to some extent, other underdeveloped countries wallow in its dominance with impunity. Poverty has been identified to be more associated with rural country side, and linked with some known barriers for its reduction such as government failures, deprivation, inflation and diseases. In Nigeria, although several poverty alleviation policies and programmes have been implemented the problem still persists, it is against this background that this paper examines whether poverty alleviation policies could be a catalyst to the development of the economies of the south-Saharan region that is mostly affected. This paper finds out whether it is lack of democratization, inability to tap the abundance of human and natural resources in Nigeria that could be the bane for the persistent increases in the poverty status of the populace. The paper also suggests positive and attitudinal changes that could properly implement the numerous policies and programmes, to reduce poverty to the bearrest minimum, towards the development of the Nigerian economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]