Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, has called for stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, states, and development partners to effectively tackle Nigeria’s growing humanitarian and poverty challenges.
The governor made the call on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the maiden National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction in Calabar. Speaking through his deputy, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, PhD, Governor Otu described the Council as a vital policy platform for aligning humanitarian interventions and ensuring that vulnerable Nigerians are not left behind.
“This Council provides us with an opportunity to harmonise our humanitarian responses and build a unified framework that guarantees protection, dignity, and sustainable livelihoods for our people,” the governor said.
Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership under the Renewed Hope Agenda, the deputy governor praised the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction for establishing the Council and selecting Cross River State to host its inaugural meeting. He also acknowledged the humanitarian advocacy of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, describing it as “a strong moral voice for the vulnerable and displaced.”
Highlighting Cross River State’s humanitarian burden, Rt. Hon. Odey disclosed that the state hosts thousands of internally displaced persons arising from communal conflicts, as well as about 50,000 Cameroonian refugees spread across several local government areas.
“Our state continues to shoulder a significant humanitarian responsibility, hosting refugees, internally displaced persons, and communities affected by flooding, erosion, windstorms, and deep rural poverty,” he said.
He appealed to the Council for support in strengthening emergency management systems, providing durable solutions for IDPs and refugees, expanding livelihood and vocational empowerment programmes, and rehabilitating disaster-affected communities.
“We need practical, people-centred solutions that restore dignity, build resilience, and move vulnerable populations from dependency to productivity,” the deputy governor stressed.
In his keynote address, the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to coordinated humanitarian action and inclusive poverty reduction.
“The National Council is designed to harmonise interventions through the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Reduction System, strengthen sub-national capacities, and eliminate duplication of efforts,” the minister said, adding that the approach aligns fully with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier, in her welcome address, the Cross River State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Helen Isamoh Egodo, described the maiden Council meeting as a significant milestone in strengthening federal–state collaboration.
“This platform enables us to speak with one voice, mobilise resources more effectively, and deliver inclusive, people-centred humanitarian interventions that truly leave no one behind,” she said.
The event was attended by the Honourable Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Commissioners from the 36 states, Permanent Secretaries, Directors, and other key stakeholders.
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