The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, has said that the amount allocated to her ministry in the 2024 budget was not capable of fighting poverty in the country.
The Minister stated this on Tuesday when she led officials of her ministry and parastalas under it, to defend her 2024 budget before the Joint National Assembly Committee of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, chaired by Senator Idiat Adebule.
She said her ministry was given an overhead ceiling of N532.5bn which represents a 28 per cent increase over the 2023 budget to cushion the effects of inflation.
It is pertinent to note that the 28 per cent increase in the overhead ceiling is not commensurate to the 27.33 per cent inflationary rate in the economy today, she noted.
Edu said, “Conversely, the capital budget ceiling was reduced from N3.7bn in 2022 to N1.328316bn in 2023 and it represents a 71 per cent reduction.
“So, in 2022 and 2023, there was a 71 per cent reduction.
“However the pittance capital ceiling of N1.535b which is an increase from the current year’s budget does not in any way match with the mandate of the ministry’s headquarters to shrink poverty in Nigeria.”
The minister added, “Simply put, there was an over 71 per cent reduction between 2022 and 2023 so the minimal increase between 2023 and 2024 does not in any way match with the mandate which we have been given and what is expected of us.
“At this point, I will plead humbly and sincerely with the chairman, co-chair, and members of this great Committee that as we look into Nigeria as a nation. The burden lies on us to tackle the issue of poverty with sincerity. One thing you can take from me and my team working under the guardians of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is that he truly wants Nigerians to be out of poverty.
“Except the budget is appropriate for it, we would be completely unable to meet that mandate.“
She further explained, “It will be words that would not be marched with actions. I am happy that you represent constituencies and senatorial zones a lot is being expected of you from the government in your constituencies to meet their real sincere demands.
“That is the reason why this committee must go beyond board to ensure that the present budget which was given to the Ministry and agencies is carefully looked into, reconsidered, and something more reasonable and in keeping with the realities on the ground is done.
“The ministry has several special Projects which I will not like to mention and we intend to use these special Projects as agencies under us to meet the target.”
The minister further lamented that something very serious was omitted from the budget.
