If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one (Mother Theresa 26 August 1910 to 5 September 1997).
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was created by President Muhammadu Buhari last year. Sequel to its creation, Hajiya Sa’adiya Umar Farouk was appointed as the minister in charge of the ministry with a clear mandate to vigorously pursue the federal government’s social intervention programmes and policies.
There is no denying the fact that under her new role as Nigeria’s chief humanitarian officer, Hajia Sa’adiya Farouk was expected to come up with an organised structure, policy and frame work that are necessary for improving the lives of the poorest of the poor, the women and our most vulnerable citizens.
Prior to the coming on board of the ministry, the country has had to deal with millions of it citizens that have been rendered homeless in their country by the merciless crises in the North-east, largely occasioned by the notorious Boko Haram sect, as well as the persistent and unending farmers/herders clashes and other natural and man made disasters.
Responses to these unpleasant situations where largely handled by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) which have proven overtime as incapable of handling such situations because of their magnitude.
The creation of the ministry as a vehicle of government is President Buhari’s antidote towards solving Nigeria’s and other friendly countries’ humanitarian crises as clearly stated in the ministry’s mandate.
It is important to state at least for posterity that the minister has, since assuming office, effectively and effortlessly evolved strategies towards tackling the country’s humanitarian challenges.
The real test of Minister Sa’adiya’s leadership capacity is the recent outbreak of the Covid-19, a pandemic fast ravaging the world and even collapsing some of the world strongest health facilities and economies.
As a member of the presidential taskforce on Covid-19, and chairman of the national humanitarian coordination council, Hajia Sa’adiya has taken proactive steps towards providing the necessary palliatives for Nigerians who even during good times are not able to provide basic necessities of life for themselves.
Since the advent of the pandemic, the minister, who herself has defied the risk of contracting the virus, has been personally visiting states across the country, flagging off series of federal government’s intervention programmes so as to soften the hardship occasioned by the lockdown and by extension the pandemic.
Just recently, the minister was in Kano to handover over 110 trucks of grains and other assorted materials as palliative support, not forgetting the over 11 trucks of assorted food items donated by the Nigerian Customs Service through the ministry to the state government.
Beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer scheme had never had it so good as their stipends are paid as at when due. So impressed was the president with the minister’s transparent approach that he directed for the expansion of the social register to accommodate over one million households.
The list of Minister Sa’adiya’s successes since assuming office as Nigeria’s humanitarian minister are enormous even with the recent innovation in the home school feeding programme where school children in public schools are fed while still at home in a highly transparent and efficient manner.
Result-oriented public servants like Sa’adiya Umar Farouk, who are striving round the clock to provide the necessary support for Nigerians in distress, must be commended and encouraged to do more. Hence, right thinking Nigerians must rise and support them.
Gaddafi Ibrahim Tanko,Abuja.
