Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu has solicited the Nigerian Airforce’s assistance in the delivery of humanitarian relief materials and even palliatives across the country, especially to the hard-to-reach areas.
The Minister made the request Tuesday, when she paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar at the Airforce Headquarters in Abuja.
The Minister told Air Marshall Abubakar that the Nigerian Airforce would be critical to her Ministry’s success in getting humanitarian aid across to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. She also seek assistance to deliver humanitarian workers, relief materials to hard to reach areas as well as evacuation of Nigerians from areas under threat both within and outside Nigeria, she thanked them for their support in evacuating students from Sudan recently.
Dr. Edu identified poverty as an enabler of insecurity which led to Humanitarian crises, adding “When we win the war against poverty we would have won the war against insecurity by over 50%; please, fly us to those hard-to-reach areas”
Continuing, the Minister said: “I’m sure you’re quite aware that we have a good number of persons who are either internally displaced or refugees who are in need of humanitarian assistance, and some of whom are in areas where it’s difficult to access them through road due to insecurity, we will be seeking your support to see that we can get through to them to deliver humanitarian services, including palliatives.
“We’re counting on you for support in terms of intelligence, we’re counting on you for support in terms of security, we’re counting on you for support within your mandate to see that our job is made easier, better and success is achieved”
She pledged to capture families of deceased servicemen in the poverty alleviation scheme of her Ministry and requested for deployment of Airforce personnel to the Ministry as desk officers for proper liaison.
The Minister stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was completely committed to ensuring humanitarian crises and the number of persons who are affected by the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria are reduced to the barest minimum.
She announced that in the coming weeks, the Ministry would be visiting different areas in Nigeria to carry out humanitarian interventions.
Dr. Edu congratulated Air Marshal Hassan on his appointment and condoled with him on the loss of some of his men in active duty in Niger state.
Earlier, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Abubakar, pledged to foster cooperation and partnership between the Nigerian Air Force and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in addressing critical humanitarian challenges facing the country.
“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. Air Marshal Hassan told the Minister.
Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair (ANIPR), Special Adviser On Media And Publicity To Hon Minister, MHAPA
05/09/23.
