By Mercy Aikoye
Amb. Dr. Christiana S.O., CEO of Lifted-Grace Changers Humanitarian Foundation, presented a speech on September 9th, 2024, titled “How to Fast-Track the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN through Global Mass Mobilization in Innovations and Skills Acquisitions.”
She began by acknowledging the protocols and expressing her privilege to be a voice on burning issues affecting Nigerians, particularly in the grant pursuit process.
Dr. Christiana highlighted the grant-related crisis in Nigeria, calling for urgent government intervention to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2027 through program implementation.
She echoed the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasizing the need for investing in education, job creation, and social cohesion to make the world safer, more resilient, and sustainable.
Dr. Christiana explained the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their transformative impact on economic, social, and environmental changes, aligning with the Presidency’s target to lift 50 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2027.
She delved into the history of the SDGs, tracing back to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and their adoption as the 2030 agenda for global transformation.
Dr. Christiana showcased her organization’s efforts in vocational and financial empowerment (VFE) through quarterly programs, including skills acquisition, job creation, and mercy initiatives.
She proposed two effective ways to reduce grant access demand and grant-related fraud in Nigeria: accessing adequate information on humanitarian operations and grant orientation through skills acquisition and innovations, and setting up vocational business expansion grant schemes for business innovation.
Dr. Christiana concluded by emphasizing the need for collective action to change the narrative and attract more hands into vocational production in Nigeria.
