Lagos — As the countdown starts tomorrow, all Nigerians have been called upon to fully participate in this year's 4th annual global 'Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now' mobilisation, which comes up from October 16 to 18.

The period coincides with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, when millions of people across the country are expected to call on the nation's decision makers at the local, state and national levels to eradicate extreme poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Making the appeal in Lagos during the week, the Executive Director of Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations (NNNGO) Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, said this year's mobilisation coincides with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

In 2008, the mobilisation campaign recorded global participation by 116.9 million people, majority from poor countries like Nigeria, and thus breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest mobilisation of human beings in recorded history.

She explained that with just six years left until the 2015 deadline by which world leaders have pledged to achieve the MDGs, "Nigerians are demanding that our leaders deliver on the promises they made in the year 2000 to eradicate extreme poverty and its root causes."

"The MDGs commitments relating to women's empowerment, including the promise to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters by the year 2015, have seen the least progress", she lamented in an information provided by Mr. Kunle Idowu, NNNGO's media consultant.

"In spite of our great potentials as the 'Heart of Africa,'" she further disclosed, "Nigeria as at today is still a poor country, with only the 43rd largest economy in the world- 128th in terms of GDP per capita;

"The past few months have been anything but reassuring with gory tales of corporate and public corruption in some of our financial and Government institutions. Meanwhile and according to the World Bank, 18 million Nigerians will become poorer in 2009."

"In keeping with this urgency, this year's mobilisation will have a specific but strong emphasis on poverty eradication and corruption in Nigeria, and will be accompanied by actions in various States across the country calling on our leaders to eradicate hunger, end maternal mortality and ensure women's rights," she added.

Ms. Ransome-Kuti said thousands of legislators, including Parliamentarians, Mayors, Senators, Ministers and Heads of State, are expected to be reached through this year's mobilisation.

Millions of people are to come together across the world to remind their elected leaders to give the highest priority to the MDGs in local and national policies, plans and budgets. Events planned in Nigeria also include rallies and concerts, gatherings in school assemblies, church and mosque mobilisation, delegations visiting politicians and mass SMS campaigns, including blogging.