2024 First Day in Office: Humanitarian Minister says she never went on break; Calls For Renewed Effort To Take Nigerians Out of Poverty

Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,  Dr. Betta Edu, on Tuesday 2nd January 2024, resumed in her office after her visit to Plateau state to provide humanitarian relief materials for persons affected by the Plateau Massacre on Christmas Eve.

Addressing members of staff of the Ministry on her first day in office in 2024, the Minister called for renewed,  collaborative efforts to pull vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty.

She reiterated President Ahmed Bola Tinubu's commitment to eradicating poverty and reducing humanitarian challenges within the life of his administration.

According to her, "What's most important is that we must draw out our goals and we must be focused to achieve them. We must be transparent and accountable in our dealings, and we must put poor people first in all our interventions.

"We need to work as a team. We need to be more innovative in our approach, and we need to be more committed to work,"

She assured Nigerians that she and her team would continue to work round the clock to meet 100 per cent, of the mandate given to the Ministry by the president.

She  noted that in the last one month, even during the Christmas and New Year break, she and her staff never went on break, as they were on the field attending to vulnerable Nigerians in various parts of the country.

"Even during the Christmas and new break, we were out there bringing succour to the poor and vulnerable in parts of the country in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President which aims to free Nigerians from the clutches of poverty.

"Throughout December, achieved more Mike stones. Conditional Cash Transfer paid additional 532,000 persons following in person verification, Renewed Hope Shelter for Poor and IDPs completed ground clearing and grading of 10 hectares for the building of 40 houses the also installed bore holes to provide water for construction.  The rural vocational skill program trained 500 people in Adamawa State, and we launched Renewed Hope Grant for vulnerable groups in Cross River state and some other states. N- Power got paid one month allowance out of their back log pending recovery of their funds removed from account. 

"We were also in plateau state to condole and offer emergency response succour to communities affected by the of the Christmas Eve massacre. We got in on first January, back to Abuja.

"And today,  the 2nd of January 2024,  we are back to office working. The reason is simple: We must deliver on our mandate. We have a mandate to pull 50 million Nigerians out of the city within 41 months, and all of us must commit to it, "the Minister said.

Dr Edu disclosed that in the coming weeks,  the federal government,  through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,  will flag off many more social intervention schemes including the End  Hunger and Code Nigeria   programme, Grow Nigeria, and revitalize most programs under the ministry and its agencies. all these are geared towards giving vulnerable Nigerians a new lease of life.

Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair (ANIPR),Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Honourable Minister, FMHAPA. 

02/01/2024