Betta Edu: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, What Is The Status of Humanitarian Affairs Ministry?

On January 13, 2024, after removing Betta Edu from the office of the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu set up a six-member panel to review the policy guidelines of social investment programmes. Led by Finance Minister Wale Edun, the panel is tasked with auditing the financial frameworks of these social investment programmes.

The committee members include Muhammad Ali Pate (Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare), Atiku Bagudu (Minister of Budget and Economic Planning), Mohammed Idris (Minister of Information and National Orientation), Bosun Tijani (Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy), and Ayodele Olawande (Minister of State for Youth).

I praise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the quick decisions and actions taken to address the multitude of crises and scandals within the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation from August 2023 to January 2024. However, the delay by the committee is making progress appear stalled and ineffective.

Six months have passed without any updates from the committee regarding the social investment programmes including Npower. With the rising poverty levels, we cannot afford this delay. In an administration of only four years, time is a luxury we do not have. Immediate and effective social investment programmes are crucial to providing relief to the most vulnerable populations.

Social investment programmes are designed to boost human capital, improve health and education outcomes, and create opportunities for economic empowerment.

Without timely intervention, the cycle of poverty can become more entrenched, making it more difficult and costly to reverse in the future.

To speed up the work of the committee and ensure timely submission of its report to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the following recommendations should be taken:

1. Set Clear Deadlines – Establish firm deadlines for each phase of the committee’s review process. Breaking down tasks into manageable milestones will ensure steady progress and accountability.

2. Increase Resources – Allocate additional resources, such as staff, technology, and funding, to support the committee’s efforts. Enhanced support can expedite data collection, analysis, and report drafting.

3. Interim Reports – Encourage the submission of interim reports to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These updates can highlight initial findings and recommendations, allowing for immediate action on urgent issues while the final report is being prepared.

4. Stakeholder Engagement – Involve key stakeholders, including experts, community leaders, and relevant organisations, to provide insights and expedite information gathering. Collaborative efforts can enrich the report’s content and hasten its completion.

5. Public Accountability – Make the committee’s timeline and objectives public to create external accountability. Public scrutiny can motivate timely action and ensure that the committee remains on track.

6. Prioritise Key Issues – Focus on the most critical aspects of the social investment programmes first like Npower, homegrown school feeding program and conditional cash transfer. Tackling the most pressing issues can yield quick wins and set the stage for broader recommendations in the final report.

Source: https://blueprint.ng/mr-president-whats-the-status-of-humanitarian-affairs-ministry/