Minister Engages Private Sector On Humanitarian Trust Fund

Minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Dr Beta Edu, has begun engagements with the private sector to actualise success of the Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Trust Fund recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The minister has held strategic meetings with the chief corporate services officer of MTN, Mr Tobechukwu Okigbo, ahead of the meeting with MTN Foundation on support for the fund.

She has also met with the general manager, policy, government and public affairs of Chevron, Mr Esimaje Brikim and the director, government affairs, Mr Sam Daibo, after an engagement with Chevron president, Clay Neff on the sidelines of the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York to solicit support for Nigeria on humanitarian matters and poverty alleviation, especially in the Niger Delta.

The regional head of United Nations High Commission for Refugees and acting country director have also committed to support Nigeria.

The trust fund is meant to provide readily available funds from government and private sectors, other countries and philanthropists among others for Nigeria’s social safety programmes targeted at poverty alleviation and humanitarian interventions without bureaucratic bottlenecks.