Juliet Jacob Ochenje
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has solicited the support of the Bill and Millanda Gates Foundation and other development partners to address humanitarian crisis and poverty affecting over 16 Nigerians.
Dr. Edu made tthe appeal when she received a delegation from the foundation in her Abuja office on Thursday.
According to Edu, Nigeria has about 16 million people facing humanitarian crisis caused by natural and man-made disasters, insecurity and flooding.
She said this is in addition to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
While calling on donor bodies and the private sector to contribute towards getting people out of his crisis in line with the federal government agenda, she assured that “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to alleviating poverty in Nigeria in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 1, 2 and 3 of the 2030 target. Our ministry is working assiduously to implement the presidential directive and we cannot do it alone without partners like you.”
Going further, she stated: “Please link up this Ministry to other strategic partners that could support the country’s fight against poverty in Nigeria.”
The Country Director, Bill and Millanda Gates Foundation, Jeremie Zoungrana, pledged the its willingness to partner with the ministry and assured that it will use its wide contacts to bring in strategic partners in specific areas to eradicate poverty in Nigeria.
