The Federal Government, in a statement released on Wednesday, emphasized that the elimination of poverty in Nigeria could significantly reduce the prevailing level of insecurity in the country by more than 50 percent.
Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, made this declaration in Abuja while seeking assistance from the Nigerian Air Force in the distribution of relief materials and aid to remote and inaccessible areas in Nigeria.
During her courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, at the Nigerian Air Force headquarters, Edu pointed out that poverty serves as a catalyst for insecurity, leading to humanitarian crises. She stated, “When we successfully combat poverty, we will have made substantial progress in the fight against insecurity, reducing it by over 50 percent. Please, assist us in reaching these hard-to-access regions.”
Edu emphasized that the Nigerian Air Force plays a critical role in enabling her ministry to effectively deliver humanitarian assistance to all corners of Nigeria. She also sought assistance in transporting humanitarian workers, relief materials, and the evacuation of Nigerians from areas under threat, both within and outside the country.
She stated, “As you are well aware, we have a significant number of internally displaced persons and refugees who are in dire need of humanitarian aid. Some of them are located in regions that are challenging to access by road due to security concerns. We are seeking your support to ensure that we can reach them and provide humanitarian services, including relief supplies. We rely on your support for intelligence and security to make our work easier, more effective, and successful.”
Furthermore, Edu pledged to include the families of deceased servicemen in her ministry’s poverty alleviation program and requested the deployment of air force personnel to her ministry as desk officers for improved coordination.
In response, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar assured the Minister of the Nigerian Air Force’s cooperation and partnership with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in addressing critical humanitarian challenges facing the nation. He highlighted the multifaceted nature of the humanitarian challenges in Nigeria, including conflicts, natural disasters, and displacement, and emphasized the need for a unified and coordinated approach to effectively respond to these crises.
Abubakar stated, “Your presence here underscores our shared commitment to the well-being of our fellow citizens during their most trying times. The challenges that confront us in the humanitarian sphere are multifaceted. Nigeria faces crises triggered by conflicts, natural disasters, and displacement, each presenting unique complexities. Responding to these crises effectively requires a coordinated and unified approach, pooling the resources and expertise of various agencies and departments, and that is precisely what we both represent in our various rights. We will do better, we will give all the support you need.”
Discussion about this post