By: Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar
The recently launched Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund have beginning to gain momentum as Multinational organisations and development partners have started showing interest in supporting the project.
Amongst them are Chevron, MTN Foundation and UNHCR who had visited the Office of the Minister for discussion.
The aim of the trust fund was to knock out punch to Poverty and humanitarian crises in the country and to 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,Mr Esimaje Brikinn and Director Government Affairs,Mr 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 Mr 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.
