Laraba MUREY
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is embarking on inter-ministerial collaboration with the Ministry of Interior to address poverty and humanitarian crisis in Nigeria.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Betta Edu, who announced the partnership in a statement by her Special Adviser on Media, Rasheed Olanrewaju, expressed commitment to alleviating the suffering of Nigerians affected by poverty and humanitarian challenges.
Edu noted the importance of a strong synergy between her ministry and the Ministry of Interior.
“This collaboration is seen as imperative in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to tackling humanitarian crises and lifting Nigerians out of poverty, as outlined in his Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
Edu, who embarked on a visit to the Ministry of Interior Headquarters in Abuja, stressed the necessity of providing durable solutions to the crises and emphasized that inter-ministerial collaboration was crucial to achieving tangible results.
The minister identified internal security, human trafficking, and migration as key factors contributing to insecurity and humanitarian crises in the country.
She expressed optimism that working together with the Ministry of Interior would help address these challenges effectively.
She commended Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his valuable experience and contributions to the ministry, adding that collaboration with her ministry would provide the necessary intelligence to manage humanitarian responses effectively.
“We are here for serious business, and for us to succeed, the President has said we must team up and there must be inter-sectoral and ministerial collaboration to achieve success,” she said.
According to her, her focus is on reaching a larger population of vulnerable Nigerians, providing humanitarian services, and reducing poverty in line with President Tinubu’s agenda.
She said President Bola Tinubu is committed to improving the lives of Nigerians and reducing the number of people living below the poverty line.
“We need your support, and we need it at all levels. The heads of security agencies here at this meeting will help to work with our team to gather intelligence on how people are moving in and out of our country,” she said.
Edu also stressed the importance of collaboration with the Ministry of Interior on border security, especially given the presence of many illegal borders in Nigeria.
Regarding social intervention, the minister announced plans to expand the social register to include servicemen and widows of paramilitary organizations who lost their husbands during active service.
“Additionally, inmates of the Nigeria Correctional Services would benefit from skill acquisition programs under her ministry,” she said.
Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo, said the inter-ministerial committee, headed by the two permanent secretaries of both ministries, would work on strengthening their agenda.
He described Edu’s offer to train inmates of the Correctional Services in skills as heartwarming and a welcome development.
“This partnership between ministries represents a significant step towards addressing humanitarian challenges and enhancing national security in Nigeria,” he said.