President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the set up of a Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund for Nigerians in the country.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, made this known on Friday during a meeting with the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, in New York, United States.
Edu, who said this at the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), revealed that 30 percent of the funding is expected to come from the federal government while the balance of 70 percent is expected from donor agencies.
The minister stated that the purpose of the fund is for the government to adequately address all humanitarian issues faced on the ground as a matter of urgency.
Edu added that the fund would have several governing caders with a structure that would show accountability and transparency.
She said: “Thirty per cent of the funding expected in this trust fund will be coming from the government of Nigeria, and is expected that the rest of this funding will come from other nations, the United Nations, donor agencies, philanthropic individuals, private sector, who we want to bring fully into the space amongst other forms of innovative fundraising.
“The essence is for us to be able to adequately address the issues which we face on the ground as a matter of urgency.
“I’m sure we already know that the president declared a state of emergency on food security in Nigeria, he equally had a state of emergency on other things like humanitarian crisis and our ability to provide durable solutions.”
Edu said the government was counting on the support of the international community and development partners to address human and climate-induced displacement and poverty in the country.
The minister said the number of persons affected by the humanitarian crisis in the country is expected to rise and asked concerned parties to act fast.
She added: “And as we make plans to come in and address this need, what must be key at the back of our minds is providing durable solutions.
“We must be able to address education for these persons, we must be able to address their livelihood, we must be able to address their reintegration back into communities, we must be to address their resettlement, including the provision of proper shelter for them to stay in.
“We must be able to address their GPV needs amongst other things, and we’re counting on your support.”
In his remark, Griffiths welcomed the initiative, saying it would take more than the efforts of the government to tackle humanitarian issues in Nigeria.
The post ‘70% Donors, 30% FG’ – Tinubu Establishes Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund appeared first on Naija News.