Opinion

Tinubu: Don’t Scrap Humanitarian Ministry, Appoint a Competent Leadership

Published

2 years ago

September 22, 2024

By MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi

The most current and widely circulated topic in Nigeria’s public domain is the purported cabinet reshuffling of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration. According to sources, the move is aimed at strengthening the mode of governance whereby some heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will be redeployed while others may even lose their positions.

Amidst this anticipated saga, one issue that caught the attention of citizens is the speculations surrounding the plan by President Tinubu to scrap the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. This ‘unconfirmed’ leaked information has raised concerns among various sectors of the populace, especially looking at the strategic roles played by the Ministry in uplifting the lives of Nigerians.

While the administration’s pursuit of efficiency and the fight against corruption is commendable, the decision to dissolve a ministry that addresses the welfare of Nigeria’s most vulnerable citizens would be a grave mistake and at the same time counterproductive.

Because, stakeholders, pundits and analysts believed that instead of abandoning the ministry, President Tinubu should consider reforming and reinvigorating it to serve as a powerful tool in improving the lives of millions of Nigerians thereby serving the purpose of its creation.

The Ministry which was established in 2019 by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, was designed to provide essential services to Nigeria’s most disadvantaged populations, including people with special needs, displaced persons, and those living in abject poverty. The ministry’s scope spans a wide range of humanitarian efforts, from managing social safety nets and alleviating poverty to responding to natural disasters and emergencies.

In a country with widespread poverty, high unemployment, and ongoing humanitarian crises, occasioned by insecurity and natural disasters such as flooding, the ministry plays a crucial role in ensuring that vulnerable Nigerians do not fall through the cracks.

Nigeria has a staggering population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to terrorism, banditry, and natural disasters. As of December 2023, Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reported a total of 3,397,531 internally displaced persons (IDPs), 1,874,283 IDP returnees, and 209,552 refugee returnees living in more than 3,900 locations across 14 states in Nigeria.

Based on statistics, disbanding the ministry would lead to a vacuum in the delivery of humanitarian services, particularly to IDPs, people living with disabilities, and marginalized communities who depend on government interventions for survival.

Moreover, scrapping the ministry would erode the capacity to coordinate responses during disasters such as floods, pandemics, and other emergencies, leaving Nigeria less equipped to handle crises. The existence of a dedicated humanitarian ministry serves as an institutional framework that can effectively mobilize resources, both from within and outside the country, to manage these challenges.

No doubt, for the past years, the ministry has been marred by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, notably involving the immediate past minister, Sadiya Farouq, and more recently, the suspended minister, Dr. Betta Edu. However, corruption in the ministry should not justify its dissolution. Instead, it underscores the need for a stronger leadership structure—one based on transparency, accountability, and commitment to humanitarian ideals.

Therefore, President Tinubu’s administration, with its pledge to tackle corruption and restore public trust, should prioritize appointing an individual who embodies the values of integrity, dedication, and genuine concern for the plight of the underprivileged.

Only such a leader could transform the ministry into an efficient vehicle for poverty alleviation, disaster management, and humanitarian assistance, thereby restoring the confidence of Nigerians in the government’s commitment to their welfare.

It is an evident and undeniable fact that one of the most promising candidates for leading this transformation is Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, the Chief Executive Officer of the QAT Foundation. Hajiya Tejuosho is widely known for her philanthropic work, and her dedication to serving Nigeria’s vulnerable populations is second to none.

Over the years, she has been using her resources through the Foundation to provide scholarships for underprivileged students, empower women and youths, and support people living with disabilities. Her hands-on experience in humanitarian service, along with her impeccable track record, makes her an ideal candidate to restore the ministry to its full potential.

Appointing Hajiya Halimat Tejuosho as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation would not only ensure that the ministry continues to serve its vital role but also restore its lost glory. Her principles of inclusiveness and her deep commitment to providing relief and support to those in need resonate with the ministry’s core mission.

Hajiya Tejuosho’s work through the QAT Foundation has reached countless Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country, and her influence has been felt in urban and rural communities alike. Under her leadership, the ministry could shift from being seen as a corrupt and ineffective institution to one known for its compassion, transparency, and efficiency.

Moreover, beyond the direct impact on citizens’ lives, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs can serve as a strategic tool for the Tinubu administration to enhance its public image. By appointing a capable and compassionate leader like Halimat Tejuosho, President Tinubu would signal his administration’s commitment to prioritizing the welfare of ordinary Nigerians. This would resonate well with the Nigerian public, especially in this time of economic hardship exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidies and other structural adjustments.

A well-functioning humanitarian ministry would provide immediate and tangible benefits to Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable, creating goodwill towards the administration. Social protection programs, like those handled by the ministry, can help alleviate poverty, reduce inequalities, and foster social stability.

It is evident that when citizens see their lives improve through government programs, it builds trust in the government and strengthens the social contract. In this sense, the ministry could play a key role in promoting and selling the image of President Tinubu as a leader who truly cares about the people.

Nevertheless, rather than dismantling the Ministry, the Tinubu administration should focus on its reform and rejuvenation. By placing the right leadership at the helm, particularly someone like Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, the ministry can be revitalized to serve its intended purpose. The focus should be on expanding social safety nets, improving disaster response mechanisms, and creating more opportunities for people living with disabilities, women, and youths.

In the broader context of national development, the ministry can help address Nigeria’s pressing socio-economic challenges. Poverty and inequality remain critical issues that demand focused government intervention. Effective humanitarian assistance and poverty alleviation efforts can mitigate the effects of these problems, contributing to national stability and growth.

Ultimately, the Tinubu administration has an opportunity to turn this moment of uncertainty into one of promise by re-envisioning the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs as a cornerstone of its social agenda.

Therefore, reforming the ministry by assigning a capable leadership, the Tinubu administration can leave a lasting legacy that reflects its commitment to building a fairer, more just society.

Believe me, appointing Hajiya Halimat Adenike Tejuosho would mark the beginning of that transformative journey, bringing new hope to the vulnerable populations that the ministry was designed to serve.

MUKHTAR Ya’u Madobi is a concerned citizen. He wrote from Kano via: ymukhtar944@gmail.com

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Opinion

RE: BLAIR “HAS QUESTIONS TO ANSWER” OVER SUPPORT FOR BRITAIN WHILE ADVISING NIGERIA

Published

2 days ago

October 20, 2026

The Gleamer

(A rejoinder to Gordon Rayner’s article of October 18,2026 in the Telegraph, UK
By Kehinde Bamigbetan
After reading this article, particularly the denials from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and the Federal Government of Nigeria, one is bound to question the editorial judgment that gives this piece any value.

In short, what did Gordon Rainer set out to do with this publication? Put a shine on Jupiter’s false and thoroughly empty narrative? Set up a former Prime Minister for blackmail and opprobrium? Or revive a dead case before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes?

Whichever, Rainer presents propositions which swallow their answers. His first argument that Blair might have undermined British national security interests is contradicted by the disclosure that the TBI has no contract to advise the Federal Government of Nigeria.

His second argument, that Jupiter was denied the execution of its licence, is contradicted by the fact that the company is unknown under Nigerian law. Rainer then admits knowing this fact and introduces the company as Jupiter’s partners.

For clarity and the benefit of his readers, these companies—Basin Mining Limited and Range Mining Limited—lost their licences for failing to pay annual service fees. Basin, for instance, owes N1,223,750,000, about £691,368.

The licences were revoked after the companies ignored several notices to fulfil their contractual obligations to the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office. Penalties for non-payment are increasing daily, and the legal process to recover the funds is underway.

Rather than rescue its partners by paying their fees and penalties or allow the international settlement court to determine its case, Jupiter has mounted an international self-help campaign of calumny and economic sabotage against the government and people of Nigeria, using methods that threaten Nigeria’s security and diplomatic interests.

We believe Rainer is its latest innocent recruit, hoodwinked into propagating a false narrative by appealing to British national security interests when, in fact, Jupiter’s partners are, under Nigerian law, economic and security risks whose continued defiance of Nigeria’s laws endangers centuries of Britain-Nigeria relations.

The question Rainer should ask: if, indeed, Jupiter has a cast-iron case, why is it shedding crocodile tears and shopping for sympathy with false pretences and narratives?

Let’s give the clue: Jupiter’s promoter, Steve Davis, has leeched on Nigeria’s presidents since 1999 by pretending to be an international mining expert, and he has acquired an ego and assets far out of proportion to his financial and technical status.
He is so comfortable living above the law in Nigeria that compliance with regulatory provisions is a taboo, an affront to his bloated ego as a self-deluded “founder of Nigeria’s modern mining sector.”

Davis had a good time living his ego until Dele Alake became Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development in August 2023 and immediately launched a clean-up of the sector focused on zero-tolerance for non-compliance with the provisions of the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Law 2007, a law that Davis boasts he contributed to making and should set an example by encouraging compliance.

The Minister was shocked that the Nigerian Mining Cadastre had a huge amount of unpaid statutory fees despite the government’s investment in the Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus (EMC+) automation, which digitised the licensing process and upgraded services to the mining sector.

In line with the law, the minister ensured debtors were duly notified, and defaulters duly gazetted before revoking their licences for flouting the regulation on the payment of annual service fees.

In November 2023, the minister revoked at least 1,663 licences, a decision that showed it was no longer business as usual under the new sheriff in town.

To show the government has a human face, it opened a three-month restitution window to address complaints and feedback indicating cases of extenuating circumstances.

But still basking in the euphoria of an ego that has outlived its era, Davis discouraged his partners from taking advantage of these opportunities for remorse. Instead, he threatened to exploit his global networks to frustrate the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He wasn’t joking. He launched a global disinformation campaign from his native Australia to Canada, from the United States to Europe. However, his lies evaporated as soon as the facts were laid bare.

Davis pulled his most ambitious stunt so far during Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s official visit to the United Kingdom in March this year, when he polluted the air with narratives designed to set Nigeria against the West by spreading blatant falsehoods and playing the victim.

But, as he found out to his misery, the whole public relations game was dead on arrival. A comprehensive statement clarifying the issues to the highly intelligent British media sent him into the cold.

All we ask is that journalists refer to the eternal maxim of the journalism profession whenever Davis knocks on their door: if in doubt, leave it out.

When a story like this betrays so many contradictions, the rule is not to encourage its spread. Every responsible journalist has the moral duty to kill it.

Kehinde Bamigbetan is a Journalist and Special Adviser to Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria

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