Mr. Dasogot Dashe, a UN official has applauded an advice of a group of economists that Nigeria should focus on implementing 19 out of 169 targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In an in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday, he said that the economists had observe that it could be difficult for any country to get resources to finance all the targets of SDGs.

He said some of the targets recommended for Nigeria included reduction in child malnutrition by 40 per cent by 2030 and reduction in malaria infection by halve by that year.

“They recommended that Nigeria should work towards reducing tuberculosis deaths and also avoid HIV/AIDs by 2030.”

In addition, Dashe said that the experts advised Nigeria to cut early deaths from chronic diseases, increase immunisation, make family planning available and eliminate violence against women and girls.

According to him, other targets set for Nigeria included boosting agriculture and food security, increasing girl- child education and achieve universal education, among others.

He, nonetheless, said that Nigeria had made some appreciable efforts on poverty reduction in the MDGs.

“We have the resources to do better and I think our interventions are working to eliminate poverty completely from the country.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SDGs builds on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that had helped more than 700 million people worldwide to fight poverty.

Adopted in 2000, the MDGs aim at an array of issues, including poverty reduction, among others by 2015.

However, SDGs has broader sustainability agenda to consolidate the achievements of MDGs and tackle the root causes of poverty and other challenges. (NAN)