The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Betta Edu

  • Edu to beneficiaries: start petty trading with cash grants

    Edu to beneficiaries: start petty trading with cash grants

    • NSIPA to partner NIMC to harmonise, integrate beneficiaries’ database

    The Federal Government has urged beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope financial grants, approved by President Bola Tinubu, to invest the cash in profitable economic ventures.

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, made the appeal in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, while addressing the less privileged members of the state at an event for the Christmas celebration.

    A statement in Abuja by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Zubair, said the minister told beneficiaries that the money was not given to them for drinks or debauchery but to start a petty trade or boost their existing petty trade and make better profits to sustain their families.

    “These monies can be used to start up little businesses. You can use these grants to boost your trade, and that will help with sustainability. These grants are deliberate acts by the Federal Government to pull people out of poverty,” she said.

    Cross River, Lagos, Kogi, Imo, Akwa Ibom and other states have benefitted from the cash grants.

    Nigerians have been thanking the President for the Yuletide gesture, saying the money would help them to provide sustainable livelihood for their households.

    Over 5,000 vulnerable, very poor persons and even People With Disabilities (PWD) in Cross River State got N20,000 grant each from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

    Read Also; Be decisive in tackling building collapse, Architects tell Sanwo-Olu

    This is coming on the heels of other packages given by the President to provide relief for Nigerians. 

    Over 3.5 million households in Nigeria have received the Renewed Hope conditional cash transfer with another 4.5 million being enrolled and banked at various villages and communities across the country. 

    “These households are to be paid within two weeks. Furthermore, the payment of the backlog for N-Power beneficiaries is ongoing with one month of payment for almost 400,000 beneficiaries already completed this Yuletide season,” Edu said. 

    At the event, which was the first of its kind in the state, the beneficiaries expressed excitement, especially the PWDs, who were part of the Christmas celebration at the Millennium Park in Calabar, Dr. Edu said the one-off grant was part of President Tinubu’s determination to lift vulnerable Nigerians from the abysses of poverty across the country.

    Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu flagged off the event and presented the dummy cheques to beneficiaries.

    His wife, Eyoanwan, praised President Tinubu for championing the cause of the poor and prioritising the welfare of the citizens.

  • Betta Edu: Between God, Oyedepo and Tinubu

    Betta Edu: Between God, Oyedepo and Tinubu

    Betta Edu, a trailblazer is at 35, Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.  She was before then the Cross River State Commissioner for Health,  the National Women Leader  of All Progressives Congress (APC), the feat she achieved by defeating her opponent by  2,662 to 117 votes at the APC National convention of March 2022. She then became the Special Adviser, Women Affairs, the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Committee and went on to mobilise women all across the country in their millions to vote for the ticket.

    Of course by the nature of our party patronage system where politicians share spoils of war after victory, many Nigerians will readily conclude she secured her position in President Tinubu’s cabinet on account of her contributions. But such assumption is far-fetched. And it is not that Edu herself was any less confused.  While she was convinced her appointment as a minister at 35, was a miracle from God, she was not sure as to who between her pastor, Bishop Oyedepo who placed his hand on her head and President Tinubu, the freewheeling talent hunter, laid the foundation for the miracle.

    But listen to her. “On the last day of Shiloh, just as I was walking out, I saw Papa, Bishop David Oyedepo; I whispered to him, ‘Papa, I need you to pray for me. I have just one prayer request now’, ‘I want to come back to Shiloh 2023 as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’. He put his hand on my head and he said, ‘It is done’. I stood up and I left.”

    Last week, while appreciating God for what she genuinely believes was a miracle, Edu said, “I came today to return all glory to God that in spite of all odds, today I’m a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    But we must understand where she was coming from. As a woman of faith, she has been told by her Bible that “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong (Ecclesiastes 9:11) and that “except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Psalm 127 v1).

    But Betta was also smart enough to understand that this only meant one cannot work independently of God. She therefore has no illusion as to anyone trying to win a race in which she is not a participant or securing a victory without first fighting a war.  And because she instinctively knew every man/woman is the architect of his/her own fortune, she left every other thing to God who ‘does not share His glory with any man’, and chose to arm herself with intimidating credentials.

    She was born in Lagos where she was raised by a disciplinarian Cross River father who ‘would not allow her go out visiting friends’, let alone going to nightclubs or wasting all evenings watching half naked girls exhibiting bad character in search of cheap money on Big Brother Africa Reality TV show.

    For her education, she earned a first degree in Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh) from the University of Calabar, Cross River State,  a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom,  a Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University; Certificate in Leadership and Management in Health from the University of Washington, United States of America;  Certificate in Health in Humanitarian Crises from University of London, United Kingdom; Certificate in Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management, Daren school of Business, University of Virginia, United States of America and did a program on  Advanced course on Health Financing for universal health coverage for low- and middle-income countries by World Health Organization.

    Read Also: COP28: Betta Edu secures Islamic Development Bank nod to scale-up social protection

    And for her professional developments, she was Special Adviser to the Governor of Cross River state on Community Health in 2015 to 2016; the vice chairman, Forum of all CEOs of Primary Health Care Agencies and Boards in Nigeria in 2018; the first Director General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (CRSPHCDA); the Commissioner for Health, Cross River State from December 2019 through to March 2022.  In 2020, she was appointed as the chairman, Cross River State COVID-19 Response Taskforce’.

    Dr. Edu, according to The Guardian “is a goal-getter who is driven by her strong belief in excellence, integrity, hard work, resilience, diligence and effective execution”. (The Guardian, April 3).

    It was for the above reason that I think, that by attributing everything to God while downplaying her own intimidating credentials, Betta has done a great disservice to some of her fellow miracle seekers who have ignored Jesus’ admonition that “faith without work is a dead faith” (James 2:17) because a dead faith produces no tangible evidence in a person’s life’.

    Unfortunately while Betta was piling up her intimidating credentials, by burning the midnight oil and engaging  in humanitarian work across the creeks of her native Cross River State,  most of her fellow miracle seekers spread within Pentecostal churches across Nigeria wasted valuable time on Sundays and on weekdays praying without forgetting their mid-week night vigils.

    If only miracle seekers understand the nature of God that decreed ‘everyone reaps what he or she sows’, they would have known that no amount of their pastor’s anointment or placing of hands on their heads will make President Tinubu who is a mere pencil in the hand of God, to settle for an unprepared miracle seeker in place of resourceful Betta  as a minister.

  • The right thing to do

    The right thing to do

    It is a significant development that the Federal High Court, Abuja, recently ordered the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, to release details of how N535.8m was spent on feeding school children, under her predecessor, during COVID-19 lockdown.

    Justice Nkeonye Maha ordered Edu and the ministry to provide a civil society group, Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, with parts of the information sought, in line with Section 25(1) of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011. She also ordered the minister to comply with the orders of the court within 21 days upon receipt of the orders.

    The group had sued the minister, the ministry and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. Also joined in the suit were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).  

    According to the group, independent investigation and information available to it “revealed that the so-called modified and implemented school feeding programme during lockdown against coronavirus pandemic was a scam, cover-up and well-articulated fiction to embezzle public funds.”

    Based on this, the group sought “Details, accompanied with documentary evidence of how the N523,273,800 million was spent on school feeding programme during the COVID-19 lockdown in three states following presidential directive as disclosed to Nigerians by the 1st defendant during the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 briefing of Monday, 3rd August, 2020 in Abuja,” among others.

    The suit followed alleged refusal of the former minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and her ministry to respond to the group’s request for information. Umar-Farouq was the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Justice Maha held that her failure to respond to the group’s letter, dated August 6, 2020, or even give reason for not responding to the request, as prescribed under the FOI Act, contravened the provisions of Section 4(a) and (b) of the Act.

    Read Also: Traditional Council insists on right to select Obong of Calabar

    It remains to be seen whether the current minister, who has been ordered to provide the information requested by the group, would obey the order. Obeying the court order is about respect for the law.  

     The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), launched in 2016, is one of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) introduced by the Buhari administration. The aim of the intervention programme is to encourage school enrollment and improve pupils’ general wellbeing by providing one meal per pupil on school days in selected public primary schools.

    Edu should demonstrate a sense of transparency, accountability, and propriety by releasing the requested information, particularly now that the request has been reinforced by a court order.

  • COP28: Betta Edu secures Islamic Development Bank nod to scale-up social protection

    COP28: Betta Edu secures Islamic Development Bank nod to scale-up social protection

    Gains of Nigeria’s participation in the ongoing Conference on Climate Change in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have started trickling in after the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu’s fruitful engagements with the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

    Chairman and Group Chief Executive of the Bank, Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, pledged to help Nigeria scale up its response to humanitarian crisis and its drive to reduce poverty index through the new Climate change adaptation policy “fair, inclusive, and just transition conceptual framework and action plan”

    This was stated on the sidelines of a high level panel meeting held with critical stakeholders of some developing Countries and  development Partners.

    The Islamic Development Bank Chairman said the decision was part of efforts  by the bank to align its objective with the “Paris Agreement.”

    Al-Jasser said climate change has exposed countries to disasters, poverty, insecurity, and humanitarian crises:

    “We must quickly intervene to protect the population through social protection and scale up of the social safety net. 

    “Nigeria needs the support of the Islamic Development Bank through its beautiful initiatives. The time to act is now,” he said.

    “This framework which is being launched here at COP 28 signals our readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders, governments, the private sector, civil society, and other development institutions  to harness the immense potential of the Paris Agreement for sustainable development.

    “In Our current role as Chair of the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) Working Group on Climate Change, we seek to better coordinate efforts among  MDBs at the country level and support the development of long-term national strategies” he added 

    He disclosed that the Islamic Development Bank Group stands ready to play its part, support  member countries, and work closely with strategic partners. 

     Edu said: “It’s time for us to move from words, commitments, and policy frameworks to actual action and implementation of the climate change adaptation plan. The federal government of Nigeria is committed to active partnerships that will translate into solutions for millions of Nigerians.”

    Edu, who singled out Nigeria due  to its policy thrust on Humanitarian response and Poverty Alleviation, said truly Nigeria is deserving of the support of the bank given President Tinubu’s laudable programs and interventions in various sectors closely linked to climate change adaptation, especially Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Programs required to address issues arising from flooding, erosions, drying up of the Lake chad basin amongst other issues that have taken away livelihoods, displaced millions and heightened insecurity and insurgence.

    The Minister said the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund was  one of the administration’s many beautiful ideas to reduce the poverty index and promote prompt responses to humanitarian situations across Nigeria. The “ GROW NIGERIA” is another intervention closely linked to climate change solutions.

    Read Also: Betta Edu, Alia perform groundbreaking ceremony for IDPs’ shelter in Benue

    In attendance at the high-level meeting was the UN Assistant Secretary General & CEO of African Risk Capacity Group, Mr Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, ILO Director for Priority Action Program on Just Transitions, Dr. Moustapha Gueye, AGRA President, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, IsDB Director Resilience & Climate Action, Syed Husain Quadri,

    Manager Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Daouda Ndiaye, while the sideline panel was moderated by Dr. Zeinab Usman, Director of Africa Program Carengie Endowment.

    After the event, Edu held meeting with the President as well as a long session with the technical team of IsDB from Head Office in  Saudi Arabia to flesh out details of the compact agreement to be signed between Government and the Bank as well as identify new Projects and programs that the country can benefit from.

  • FG distances self from N50,000 child support scheme

    FG distances self from N50,000 child support scheme

    The federal government has distanced itself from a child support scheme circulating online.

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu described the link and scheme titled: “Federal Government’s N50,000 Child Support Fund for all Nigerian Parents is Ongoing”, as fake.

    The minister in a statement on Sunday, November 19, by her media aide, Rasheed Zubair, said security agents have commenced investigation to unmask the people behind the act.

    She urged Nigerians to ignore the link to avoid being defrauded.

    The statement reads: “The attention of the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation,  Dr. Betta Edu has been drawn to a circulating bogus child support scheme with the title “Federal Government’s N50,000 Child Support Fund for all Nigerian Parents is Ongoing”.

    “The said scheme and the accompanying link are fake as they did not emanate from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

    Read Also: Girl-child education gets support

    “All social intervention schemes of the Ministry are well documented,  in the public domain, and are brought to the notice of Nigerians through proper, channels.

    “The so-called “Child Support Scheme” is fake and is not and Can never be any  of the Ministry’s schemes.”

    The statement continues: “The general public is hereby alerted that undesirable elements whose sole agenda is to mislead and defraud unsuspecting Nigerians are behind the fake scheme advertisement and the link.

    “While security agents have swung into action to unmask the unpatriotic elements behind the intended scam,  Nigerians are advised to ignore the link to avoid being defrauded of their hard-earned money.”

  • Betta Edu, Alia perform groundbreaking ceremony for IDPs’ shelter in Benue

    Betta Edu, Alia perform groundbreaking ceremony for IDPs’ shelter in Benue

    Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Renewed Hope shelter for the poor and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Tatyo and Kyo community in Makurdi North Local Government Area of Benue State.

    She performed the groundbreaking alongside the State Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, with a promise to work with the state government to ensure that the IDPs returned to their ancestral homes.

    Speaking at the event, Edu said the project was in fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to reduce humanitarian crises and poverty challenges in Nigeria. “The President assured Benue people that if he was voted into power, he would provide security and resettle them back to their ancestral homes where some have been out for over 10 years following the Herdsmen-farmers conflict. The Minister commended Governor Alia for ensuring that peace returned to Tatyo and Tyo communities, as well as other communities which have been engulfed by violence since 2012 resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands from their homes.

    Read Also: Kogi 2023: Police bar security escort for VIPs at polling units

    Notably, since 2011, over 12,000 people have lost their lives in Tatyo alone, and thousands more were rendered homeless due to attacks by suspected armed herders in the Markudi North  Local government area of the state.

    The Renewed Hope Shelter, which has a learning centre, health centre, and market,  according to Edu will be built by the community members in clusters under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in partnership with the Benue State Government.

    She expressed sadness over the IDPs’  experience these past years and pledged that “for these wonderful people that have come from the IDP camps, the journey back to your ancestral homes has begun, “this is the beginning of a journey to return home.”

  • President concerned about flooding situation in Ogun – Betta Edu

    President concerned about flooding situation in Ogun – Betta Edu

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is concerned about the flooding and  situation that have affected parts of Ogun State and is ready to support the victims with immediate relief materials while working out sustainable solution to the perennial problem.

    Dr. Edu said she had seen videos and pictures depicting the flooded places and the plights of the affected people, assuring that she would visit the area today to identify with them and express the support of President Tinubu and his administration.

    The Minister made this known on Friday night while speaking with newsmen shortly after a meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun in his office at Okemosan, Abeokuta – the state capital.

    Read Also: Education is strongest tool to fight poverty – Betta Edu

    She noted that aside the issue of the flood, she was in the state in connection to the Ogun  Social Register, to urge the state government to kick – start the process of updating, vetting and verification of the names to pave way to the commencement of payment of the N25,000 intervention fund to vulnerable households/beneficiaries as was the case in states where the scheme had commenced.

    Dr Edu added that she would visit the adire making centres in Itoku Abeokuta on Saturday to ascertain the processes involved and how the people could be supported by President Tinubu – led administration to take the adire making businesses to the next level.

  • FG to scale up social safety net to 15 million households – Minister

    FG to scale up social safety net to 15 million households – Minister

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has announced the Federal Government’s ambitious plan to extend its social safety net program to cover 15 million households in Nigeria.

    The Minister stated this  during an official visit to Maiduguri. 

     Edu emphasised that the initiative was not merely a giveaway programme but a strategic effort to empower individuals and families.

    According to her: “We’ll initiate an expanded and upscaled social safety net program designed to reach at least 15 million households in Nigeria. These funds are not handouts; they are aimed at jumpstarting businesses and helping individuals regain their footing. It’s not business as usual; there will be conditions attached, and individuals will be held accountable for their use of government funds.”

    Read Also: Poverty alleviation will reduce insecurity by 50 percent, says Edu

    She emphasised the importance of accountability in government disbursements, stating, “Any money provided by the government must have criteria attached to it, and recipients will be held responsible for how they utilize government funds.”

    Edu announced plans to collaborate with the Borno State government to expand the social register to include more beneficiaries. 

    She acknowledged the existing social register, which contains 15.7 million households and 62 million individuals, as insufficient given the widespread need for humanitarian assistance.

    She explained that the social register would undergo continuous updates through immediate verification of its beneficiaries to ensure that only deserving individuals remain on the list. 

    She stressed the dynamic nature of the register, with people joining and leaving, and the importance of adhering to clear criteria for inclusion.

  • Education is greatest tool to fight poverty, says Betta Edu

    Education is greatest tool to fight poverty, says Betta Edu

    The minister for humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu has said that educational foundation remains the strongest tool to deploy against poverty.

    Edu hosted the University of Calabar Alumni and some management staff led by the vice chancellor, Prod Florence Banku Obi on a courtesy visit to her office on Friday. 

    The visit was primarily to congratulate Edu who is an alumni of the University of Calabar.

    The minister in her remarks disclosed that over the years, University of Calabar has been  a major hub in producing leaders with excellent records  across the country, saying that she remain most grateful for the institution and its stride.

    According to her, the ministry is working on full detailing of President Bola Tinubu action plan as regards to the humaintarian affairs and poverty alleviation ministry which includes eradicating poverty.

    She said: “Resources will be mobilized across board to enable a robust Humanitarian and poverty alleviation intervention. We will be reaching out to development partners, the private sectors, institutions and well meaning Nigerians. We are also going to verify and review of the Social Register to ensure that truly it’s the poorest of the poor that are on the list, this will commence soon.”

    Read Also: Group hails Tinubu for saddling Betta Edu with poverty alleviation

    She appreciated the vice chancellor and her management team for coming to celebrate with her, while assuring the institution that she will not fail in her latest national assignment.

    The vice chancellor, who was accompanied by top management staff of the University, the Registrar, Gabriel Egbe, Bursar, Joseph Odum and the Alumni Relation Officer, Donklaimz Enahme assured the minister of the Institution willingness to assist in fighting poverty using the classroom and every other means available to them.

    According to her, the University is glad to be associated with all her achievements starting from her early days as Vice President of the Student Union Government in University of calabar to her role as Special Adviser to the Governor, DG and Commissioner For Health and most recently APC National Women Leader.

    Highlights of the visit was the presentation of gifts by the Vice Chancellor and  University Relations Officer, Donklaimz Enahme alongside other management staff.