Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Wale Raji, has deplored the plight of over 20 million out-of-school children in the country.
  
Speaking at the inauguration of the panel in Abuja, he underlined the fact that the country was far behind in the implementation of the SDGs, initiated by the United Nations.
  
The Lagos State-born lawmaker also identified open defecation, lack of access to potable water, hunger and inability by the authorities to eradicate poverty as some of the 17 SDG goals that the country had not done enough to achieve.
  
Stating that he had interfaced with the Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SG), Raji charged the 47-member panel to initiate ideas that promote legislative intervention for achievement of the SDGs.  He said an arrangement had been concluded to organise a retreat for members to be conversant on achieving the SDGs.