The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has revealed that the Federal Government (FG) is ready to extend its social safety net program so as to reduce the level of poverty among households across Nigeria.

Edu announced the FG’s ambitious plan on Thursday during an official visit to the Borno governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, in Maiduguri, the state capital.

She said in a statement signed by her spokesperson, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, that the initiative is a strategic effort on the part of the FG to empower individuals and families in the country.

Edu added that this is also part of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration’s plan to reduce the level of poverty in Nigeria.

“We’ll initiate an expanded and upscaled social safety net program designed to reach a lot of households in Nigeria,” Edu said.

“These funds are aimed at jumpstarting businesses and helping individuals regain their footing.”

The visit, her first official movement outside Abuja since her assumption of office, was described as home coming by the people of Borno State.

The minister was received at the Government House in Maiduguri by Governor Zulum whom she thanked for the grand reception and the excellent work he is doing in Borno that is bringing peace, development and stability to the people and the state.

Edu informed the governor that Borno was the first state she would be visiting in her capacity as minister since her swearing in as
a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

To show how important and strategic the state is to achieving results on humanitarian response and ending poverty in Nigeria, the minister described Borno as a stabilizing state in the North East and Nigeria.

Dr Edu reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to minimizing humanitarian crisis and eliminating poverty in Nigeria in fulfilment of the renewed hope agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2.

“It is important that the Humanitarian Ministry renew its partnership with the State and leverage on their successes and experience to find better ways of doing things.

“The Ministry under me will not only aim at eliminating poverty, but it shall also provide safety nets to prevent Nigerians from going under the poverty line”.

The Minister informed the Governor that the Federal Government is committed to returning the refugees and migrants to their various homes by 2024.

She said structures must be put in place to repatriate and reintegrate the internally displaced persons back into their communities.

The former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Women Leader who described the governor as an “action leader” informed him that the National Social Register shall be cleaned up and expanded to accommodate more people In other to meet target.

“The Ministry shall establish humanitarian hubs in all Local Government Areas as a deliberate policy of targeting the grassroots, the rural poor that are more in large numbers in communities and villages.

“The Ministry shall deliberately create job opportunities for youth on a short- and long-term basis, giving micro-credits, vocational training among others.

She encouraged the Borno governor to continue giving leadership and support at the state level “so that the overall objective of eliminating hunger and poverty will be attained”.