A former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Betta Edu, has marked her 40th birthday with internally displaced persons at a camp in Makurdi, Benue State, announcing support measures aimed at improving their livelihoods and access to education.
Edu visited the Ichua Internally Displaced Persons camp in Makurdi on Tuesday, where she announced the provision of livelihood equipment, vocational training, scholarships and food assistance for displaced residents.
The items announced for distribution included 40 sewing machines, 40 grinding machines, 40 refrigerators and deep freezers, 40 sets of hairdressing equipment and scholarships for 40 children.
The intervention also included tailoring training for 40 women and food assistance, including bags of rice for attendees.
Edu said the support was part of her personal intervention to address the humanitarian crisis and help displaced communities rebuild their lives.
She said, “This intervention was designed to complement the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, towards addressing the humanitarian crisis and resettling displaced communities.
“The intervention is not only to provide immediate relief, but the ultimate goal is to equip beneficiaries with the resources and skills needed to become economically independent.
“The scholarship intervention is intended to help children return to school and continue their education despite the difficulties experienced by their families.”
She urged parents to prioritise their children’s education, regardless of their living conditions or financial circumstances.
The former minister explained that her scholarship programme began in 2016 and had particularly supported children in her political ward in Adadama, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
“This initiative was introduced partly because community clashes and violence had prevented some parents from farming and adequately supporting their children’s education,” Edu said.
She said she had taken responsibility for paying school fees in her community for the past 10 years, adding that the Benue beneficiaries would be included in the programme’s cumulative total.
Edu commended Tinubu and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia for their efforts to address the humanitarian situation in the state.
She added that conditions at the camp had improved compared with what she witnessed during a visit in October 2023.