- The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs plans to include military personnel in the social register to access poverty alleviation programs
- The Chief of Defence Staff emphasized the connection between poverty and crime and pledged support for this initiative
Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has stated that her ministry will expand its social register and social database to accommodate military personnel injured or killed in battle.
She made the remarks yesterday during a visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, in Abuja.
We need these data from the military so as to capture them under the social register and can benefit from poverty alleviation programmes while touching lives in their millions. The president target is to see that Nigerians are brought out of humanitarian crises and poverty in Nigeria, she said.
She stated that military assistance was required for humanitarian workers to provide services to people affected by humanitarian crisis and to protect displaced people and refugees across Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, according to Edu, is committed to preventing and mitigating humanitarian crises.
For his part, the Chief of Defence Staff stated that there was always a link between poverty and crime.
We are also happy that the barracks community will also be considered, which is critical. The troops’ morale will be high knowing that in case of any emergency, their families will also be considered in the poverty alleviation programmes.
I can assure you we will give you all the support and work together to achieve success, Musa stated.
Niger govt to recruit 1,500 youths as forest guards
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, says the state government plans to recruit at least 1,500 youths as Niger Forest Guards to tackle the banditry and terrorism facing the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, said in a statement on Wednesday that his principal disclosed while speaking to newsmen shortly after he met with the vigilante corps on Tuesday.
The CPS quoted the governor, saying “We intend to employ 1,500 youths into Niger forest guards so that we can take over the forest”, he said.
The governor further commended all the vigilante corps for complementing the efforts of the conventional security operatives in the state.