Sadiya Umar Farouq Hands Over Fed Min of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to Perm Sec

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has formally handed over the affairs of the ministry to the Permanent Secretary Dr Nasir Sani Gwarzo mni. NPOM, after three and half years of meritorious service to humanity and in conclusion of her tenure as the pioneer minister.

According to Nneka Ikem Anibeze, SA Media to the minister in a press release on 26-05-2023,
Umar Farouq handed over documents contained in two booklets, of her service in the ministry, at the end of the 1st Nigerian International Humanitarian Summit hosted by the Ministry on Friday in Abuja.
In her remarks, the minister thanked the Permanent Secretary, directors , staff of the Ministry and of her office for the massive support given to her throughout her tenure.

Umar Farouq urged the staff to remain steadfast in their quest to achieve President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of lifting as many vulnerable persons as possible out of poverty.

“I hereby formally hand over these documents of my stewardship as the pioneer Minister of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in the last three and half years. Thank you very much for your support as I hand over to the Permanent Secretary, Dr Nasir Sani- Gwarzo”.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary thanked the Minister and wished her well in her future endeavors.

President Buhari Declares Nigeria Int’l Humanitarian Summit Open, Unveils Humanitarian Hub, Commissions Smart Resettlement And Digital Academy In Four Cities

The President, Commander- in- Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has declared open the maiden edition of the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit (NIHS).

According to Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development while disclosing the news in a press release she signed stated that the President also unveiled the Model of the Nigeria Humanitarian Hub and Commissioned Smart Resettlement Cities and Digital Academy in four States.

President Buhari performed the functions during the opening ceremony of the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit held at the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja, on Friday, 26th May, 2023.

The President said the Nigeria International Humanitarian Summit is the first in Nigeria and will henceforth be an Annual Event.

“This maiden edition with the theme: “Saving Lives, Alleviating Poverty and Maintaining Human Dignity in The Face of Rising Humanitarian Crises.” is apt and it resonate with the commitment and investment made by this Administration in ensuring the dignity of Nigerians is protected and the vulnerable groups are provided with the basic needs of life.

“This Summit is not only about celebrating the achievements recorded under the Humanitarian sector since the establishment of the Ministry but to also Unveil the proposed Nigeria Humanitarian Hub, Commission the Smart Resettlement Cities, and the Digital Academy all of which were initiated and executed under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development and its Agencies”.

According to the President, the Resettlement Cities Project were conceptualized under the Economic Sustainability Plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrant and Internally Displaced Persons. The Cities are designed to foster the Resettlement and reintegration of Persons of Concern in Nigeria and enhance their social and economic well-being while strengthening the host communities. It plays a central role in supporting the Commission in achieving its Strategic objective of providing durable solutions to Persons of Concern in Nigeria. Additionally, it promotes the Resettlement as a viable and sustainable solution for Persons of Concerns. It also aimed to effectively address the displacement challenges through self-reliance and long-term reintegration Programme”.

President Buhari added that ” the Resettlement Cities in four (4) States at Kondugo, Borno State, Dawakin Tofa, Kano State, Keffi, Nasarawa State, and Gusau, Zamfara State have been completed. Each city consists of 50 units of 2-bedroom blocks of flats and 20 units of studio apartments.

“The Resettlement Cities are equipped with a resource centre for skill acquisition, a police station to ensure security, a clinic for primary healthcare provision, a large expanse of land for farming, and a market for facilitating trade and industry to promoting economic growth in the local community”.

“The Nigeria Humanitarian Hub when completed will serve as the Central Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Activities in Nigeria. The Hub will accommodate all the Stakeholders in the Humanitarian Sector under one Central Coordinating Facility. It will enhance coordination, accommodate an Operation Centre for Humanitarian Interventions, a Policy, Research and Development Programme Office, State of the Art Data and Communication Facility and also serve as a multi-Sectoral liaison office for Humanitarian Actors in Nigeria”.

The President stated that since the establishment of the Ministry, the legal instruments aimed at protecting the interest of Nigeria’s vulnerable groups have been enacted.

These policies and legal frameworks are aimed at giving the necessary legal backing to the Humanitarian Sector to strengthen it and deliver on its mandate effectively and efficiently.
“As we bow out in the next few days, it is my strong believe that the Humanitarian sector is adequately prepared and equipped for better Service Delivery to Nigeria’s Vulnerable Groups.
“As our population continue to grow, I am convinced the Ministry is positioned to face the ever evolving and challenging humanitarian situation and prepared to find a durable solution for the vulnerable in the society.

It is on record that the empowerment programmes initiated and executed all over the country under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development have impacted positively the lives of millions of Nigerians and had lifted millions out of poverty.

He commended the Honourable Minister, the Management and Staff of the Ministry for exhibiting a high sense of leadership and dexterity in handling the affairs of Humanitarian Sector.

He also commended all the Agencies under the Ministry, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, Development partners and donors, MDAs and the National Assembly for their contributions and support towards the improvement of the Humanitarian sector in Nigeria.

The Honourable Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, in her address stated that the Ministry has effectively addressed humanitarian issues with the formulation of eight policies namely
National Policy on IDPs 2020;
National Disaster Risk Management;
Revised National Disability Policy 2020;
National Policy on Ageing 2020;
National Migration Policy 2020;
National Social Protection Policy – in Collaboration with FMBNP, almost ready for approval
Revised National Policy on Protection & assistance to Trafficked Persons in Nigeria 2022;
National Social Investment Programme Agency, among others.
She mentioned other achievements of the Ministry through the clusters under the National Social Investment Programme.
She thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for all the support given to the Ministry to achieve its mandates of enhancing the lives of the poor and vulnerable in the society.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, mni, NPOM, in a welcome address said the Summit was conceived to highlight the achievements recorded in the Humanitarian Sector since the establishment of the Ministry in August, 2019 and to mobilize Resources in the form of Technical Capacity through partnership, Financial and Human support for the Humanitarian Sector.

The Humanitarian hub was also conceived to consolidate on Mr Presidents visionary leadership in creating the Ministry that would ensure and strengthen coordination in the affairs of the Humanitarian sector. “To succeed, Your Excellency, there is the need to have a strong coordination mechanism and the Hub is one of such mechanisms that would facilitate your vision of creating the Ministry. Also, the Smart cities projects was conceived and executed to promote the concept of durable solution in addressing the challenges of Migrants and internally displaced persons and refugees in Nigeria. While the Digital Academy will provide the ICT and full automation in addressing the challenges of IDPs, Migrants and Refugees.
“All these programmes and projects Your Excellency are aimed at actualizing your dream of protecting human dignity and lifting Nigerians out of poverty” he stated.

Federal Government Launches National Home-grown School Feeding Programme In Bayelsa State

By Emmanuel Daudu

The Federal Government has launched the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in Bayelsa State, which is aimed at increasing enrollment of pupils in primary schools in the state.

According to Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information in a press release signed on 25th May, 2023 stated that the programme was launched by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, on 25th May, 2023, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The Minister who was represented by the Director Legal Services of the Ministry, Barrister Garba Haganawega, stated that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) is one of the clusters under the Federal Government National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) aimed at providing one free nutritious meal a day to pupils of primary 1-3 in public primary schools nationwide.

She said globally, School Feeding Programs are increasingly being recognized as critical social protection interventions since they benefit vulnerable groups including children, their families, and communities.
In Nigeria, the NHGSFP is a safety net for over 10 million children across thousands of communities and a lifeline for income generation for thousands of people.

The Minister disclosed that the key objectives of the NHGSFP are to increase school enrolment, attendance and retention, improve the nutritional and health status of school children, job creation by stimulating local agricultural production and local economy, provide empowerment opportunities for the cooks, thereby contributing to the promotion of food security for vulnerable households in Nigeria.

Farouq further revealed that, with the aim to strengthen, sustain and scale up the programme to 13 million beneficiaries by 2023 which is geared towards contributing to the vision of Mr. President to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030 having previously onboarded 35 States and FCT.

She informed that, Bayelsa State having fulfilled the conditions for onboarding unto the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, and signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), is ready to onboard the programme, stating that the state is joining the programme with a total number of 59,113 Pupils in 599 schools and 1,217 cooks across the 8 LGAs.

She said the Ministry has provided 59,113 feeding utensils for the use of pupils on the program in Bayelsa State, in order to ensure that these free school meals are being provided under hygienic and favourable conditions,

The Minister appealed for the good utilisation of the items for the betterment and benefit of the children.

She announced that with the onboarding of Bayelsa state into the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has now fully covered 36 States and the FCT.

She assured quality service delivery of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in the state.

In his remark the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri, who was represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle E. Emelah, said the programme came at a time the current administration is transiting, but appreciated the President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the NSIP Act to be an agency for continuity of the programme.

Dr Emelah disclosed that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme will improve the school enrollment in the state

In his votes of thanks the National Social Investment Programme’s Focal Person of the state, Honourable Emmanuel Benson, thanked the Federal government for its humanitarian interventions, and he also warmly appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for launching the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in the state.

In his goodwill message the State Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Johnson E. Heefor, appreciated the federal government for making the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme a reality in the State, stating that the programme is long overdue.

The high points of the event were presentations of letters of engagement to the cooks as well as cooking utensils to the representative of the Governor and the State Focal Person.

In attendance were representatives of the Director General National Orientation Agency, National Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCD), as well as primary 1-3 students of some schools, royal fathers and other stakeholders in the school feeding programme.