… proffer multi-pronged action against the scourge
With the scourge of poverty ravaging the mass of the people of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Ms Sadiya Farouq, have expressed worry about the situation, calling for an action against the scourge.
To Buhari, poverty is one of the enormous challenges facing the nation’s democracy and the people.
He has, therefore, proffered multi-level approaches and action by leaders in the country to address the issue.
According to the president, poverty has its direct bearing on the criminality in the country.
“My administration is fully committed to supporting our youths to succeed because the country looks upon them for future leadership.
“As one of our youngest leaders, let your performance be an inspiration for others, thereby galvanising our youth to participate actively in making Nigeria a better country,’’ Buhari said in a congratulatory message to Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, on the occasion of his 52nd birthday.
“You should do everything to address the problem of youth restiveness caused by unemployment which in turn, leads to crime.”
On her part, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development said 90 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty across the country.
Farouq, therefore, expressed the resolve of the Federal Government to lift them out of the trenches of poverty.
She spoke while presenting the 2020 budget estimates N44.21 billion for the approval of the House Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees chaired by Rep. Mohammed Jega.
The minister said that the ministry was tasked with the responsibility to address some of the underlying causes, drivers and consequences of humanitarian crises and underdevelopment including.
She said this included the relatively high level of poverty of nearly half (90 million) of the country’s 198million population live in.
The minister assured that the new ministry would strengthen the coordination of humanitarian and disaster management efforts by stakeholders.
The breakdown shows that the ministry budgets for National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons include N474,306,285 for personnel, N165 million for resettlement of IDPs in the North East and Bakkasi returnees.
Others are N15 million for 1,000 IDPs enrolment into NHIS; N105 million for renovation/rent of 21,000,000 per state; N60 million Back to school fees; N105 million for drilling of borehole; N184 million for securing land for relocation and reintegration of IDPs in FCT, Nasarawa States and N110 million for 2,200 families as return assistance to North East, among others.
The House of Representatives Committee on the ministry’s portfolio expressed the hope that the budget would impact positively on all Nigerians if implemented.
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