Dr Betta Edu, the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has expressed the Federal Government’s commitment to lift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.
Ms Edu disclosed this when she assumed office on Monday in Abuja and held maiden meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of the agencies under the Ministry.
She assured Nigerians of her determination to ensure transparency and accountability during her tenure as Minister.
“What is most important is that we will keep our focus on lifting 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.
“We can do it in phases, a step at a time, because with determination and strong-will nothing is impossible.
“We will also achieve the feat with the strong political backing from His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu and every member of the cabinet.
”We will play down on politics, we are here to face the real business of governance” she said.
Nigeria has the awful distinction of being the world capital of poverty, with 71 million people living in extreme poverty according to the World PovertyClock, 2023 report.
Similarly, a total of 133 million people are classed as multidimensionally poor according to National Bureau of Statistics data.