The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to partner with the United Nations (UN) to provide long-lasting solutions to help lift millions of peopleout of poverty.
Prof. Nantawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, disclosed this on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja.
He disclosed it shortly after his meeting with Amina Mohammed, the Deputy UN Secretary-General.
Yilwatda said that the UN had been a longstanding ally of the ministry and had helped government in actualising some of its social intervention programmes.
The minister said that the partnership became necessary to drive the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in addressing youth unemployment, poverty reduction, and support to victims of conflict and climate change.
“We have the opportunity to partner with the UN to ensure that the people affected by insurgency, climate change and other armed conflicts across the country are supported.
“Especially, those that are affected by the impact of economic reforms that we are making to ensure that we give human face to every aspect of the reforms.
“This partnership is going to ensure that we give durable solutions to the plight of our people.
“It will ensure that we lift as many people as possible out of poverty, reduce youth unemployment and ensure that our communities are safe,” he said.
Yilwatda noted that the ministry would soon release its 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan to provide Nigerians with a guide to government’s drive towards addressing poverty in the country.
“We are going to unveil our Humanitarian Response Plan in weeks to come, specifically on Dec. 23, which will be the need assessment of all the humanitarian problems and challenges across the country.
“Together with the UN, we will work around the world globally to raise funds for the country using that Humanitarian Response Plan.
“Also, within the first quarter of the year the Durable Solution Plan and programme that we are doing will also come to effect.
“I am sure Mr President who is willing to ensure poverty reduction has provided a lot of funding for the safety net, especially, if you check the proposed 2025 Budget, you’ll discover that there are a lot of funding provided for safety nets.
“These are also verifiable plans by the government to ensure that they participate along with the UN in reducing poverty and providing a safety net for the poorest of the poor,” he said.
Yilwatda said that the ministry had a target to create at least two million jobs before the end of the year 2025.
In her response, the UN Deputy Secretary-General assured the federal government of its readiness to partner in addressing the multi-dimensional poverty in the country.
Mohammed said that the ministry was critical to UN’s mission to ensure that people and communities are safe and lifted out of the poverty line.
“People are on the move today, different crisis, it’s climate, it’s conflict, it’s internal displacement through different hardships.
“So that makes this ministry a focal place for providing prevention and dealing with the solutions to humanitarian crises.
“The indices of poverty in the country are high.
“So, when host communities come in, you have to accommodate them as well so that you don’t have the burden of those coming in and creating social tensions,” she said.
Mohammed emphasised the need for more investment in social intervention to address the growing humanitarian needs in the country.
“Huge investment is needed in the country, so that we can have those transitions that will make us more resilient,” she said.