Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund: Betta Edu seeks private sector’s  support, engages Chevron, MTN, others

Adebari Oguntoye
Adebari Oguntoye
Betta Edu, flanked by Chevron and MTN Execs-
It was a busy day in the office of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, wednesday as the innovation  of President Bola Tinubu on Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation trust fund have beginning to gain momentum.
Multinational organisations and development partners have started showing interest in supporting the trust fund project. Chevron, MTN Foundation, UNHCR were  the latest callers in the Minister’s office.
The aim of the trust fund was to   knock out punch to Poverty and humanitarian crises in the country and will provide a readily available pool of funds from Government, Private sector,other countries and  Philanthropic individuals  to address the National social safety programs targeted at poverty alleviation as well as humanitarian emergencies devoid of  bureaucratic bottle necks.
Recall that the Chairman and members of the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria had  on Monday approved the creation of the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund, which is a flexible form of financing.
The fund is designed to help Nigeria  respond to humanitarian crises, emergencies, and internal displacement challenges as well as adequately address the issue of poverty in the country.
As part of the efforts to actualize  this set goals,Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu,wednesday  has commenced serious engagements with with private sector and others to achieve their buying in and contributions to the success of the Trust Fund.
The minister who met wednesday with the General Manager Policy Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn and  Director Government Affairs, Sam Daibo  as a follow up of  engagement with the President of Chevron Clay Neff in New York on the side lines of UNGA78.
The multinational organisation has shown commitment (Chevron) on their  expected support to Nigeria on humanitarian and poverty alleviation, especially within the Niger Delta region.
Both parties agreed to work out the  details  in the subsequent meetings.
Also, the  minister held a strategic meeting with Tobechukwu Okigbo,the Chief Corporate Services Officer ahead of the Meeting with the MTN Foundation on their support to the Presidential  Trust Fund which to be used for Humanitarian Response and Poverty alleviation in country.
In the same vein,the Regional Head of  Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, (UNHCR)West and Central Africa, has also pledged their commitment in the support of the Nigerian government to achieve results.
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