The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it would promptly
\nintervene in humanitarian crises and disaster issues across the country,
\njust as it promised to ensure that adequate funds are earmarked for all
\nsuch critical interventions in the annual budget.<\/p>\n
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade
\nAgba, who gave the assurance, predicated it on the creation of the new
\nMinistry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social
\nDevelopment.<\/p>\n
Delivering a goodwill message at the international workshop on
\n“Improving Civil-Security Cooperation (CISEC) in Humanitarian
\nInterventions in the North East” in Maiduguri, organised by the Ministry
\nof Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development,
\nAgba said at the level of inter-ministerial collaboration, the Ministry
\nof Budget and National Planning would ensure adequate funds were
\nprovided to the ministry to deliver on its mandates.<\/p>\n
He commended the wisdom in the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to
\ncarve out a full-fledged Ministry that is hoisted on the tripod of
\nhumanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development amid
\npublic misconception of the philosophy and strategy of the federal
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
According to Agba, “For those who had hitherto accused the
\nadministration of insensitivity and irresponsibility, it is now very
\nclear that they misconceived, misperceived and misconstrued the
\nessential philosophy and strategy of the administration in responding to
\nthe rash of insurgents’ attacks on soft civilian targets after they
\n(Boko Haram insurgents) had been technically degraded.<\/p>\n
“To be sure, the new omnibus Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster
\nManagement and Social Development, which will, in particular, drive the
\nhumanitarian interventions in the North East, represents a clear and
\narticulate government’s response.<\/p>\n
“The minister in charge, who is a Business Administrator and a round peg
\nin a round hole, is trusted to run the affairs of the ministry as a
\n‘profitable business’ that will benefit the victims of crises and
\ndisasters in the context of keeping fidelity to the Social Contract
\nbetween the government and the people.”<\/p>\n
He said that as a government, like other governments globally, that was
\nvulnerable to issues of force majeure and act of God, “we will
\nhenceforth build on the foundation of the administrative infrastructure
\nthat had been set up to respond appropriately and expeditiously to
\ncrises and disasters.”<\/p>\n
Describing the theme and focus of the workshop as very germane and
\nclear, Agba said they centred on the issues of humanitarian
\ninterventions as key deliverables in the context of civil-security
\ncooperation in the North East crises.<\/p>\n
According to him, “They are also very apt for responding to the
\npost-insurgency era in which we have found ourselves as a nation,”
\nadding that “the exigencies of responding to the humanitarian crises in
\nthe North East zone of the country through strategic policy initiatives
\nand coordinated administrative measures were, no doubt, largely
\ninstrumental to the idea of creating the Ministry of Humanitarian
\nAffairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.”<\/p>\n
He said that the setting up of the ministry was indicative of the
\nPresident’s concern for the plight of Nigerians, “more especially those
\nwho are here in the North East zone, who have been very largely affected
\nby the humanitarian crises occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency.”<\/p>\n
The minister stated further that “as a measure of the President’s
\npan-Nigeria disposition, the Ministry has been structured and hoisted on
\na tripod of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social
\ndevelopment all of which are targeted at every nook and cranny of the
\ncountry to cater to our national diversity.<\/p>\n
“Just as Boko Haram-induced humanitarian crises are within the purview
\nof the schedules of the Ministry; so also are the issues of disaster
\nmanagement and social development, which have positive ramifications for
\nevery part of the country.”<\/p>\n
He tasked the workshop participants to come up with workable ideas and
\nrecommendations on improving civil-security cooperation in humanitarian
\ninterventions that would assist the minister to drive the necessary
\nimplementation of the Ministry’s overarching mandates in the interest of
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it would promptly intervene in humanitarian crises and disaster issues across the country, just as it promised to ensure that adequate funds are…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":58203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70294","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n