From Joseph Uchenna, Makurdi
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda has stressed that through the launch of the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection System (SUSI) project in Nigeria, ‘we are proving that humanity can win, even in the darkest places’.
The Minister who said this in Makurdi on Wednesday during the launch of SUSI project, pointed out that with its €10 million funding from the European Union, implemented by UNICEF and the ILO, complements the Federal Government efforts, like the National Social Register, the Conditional Cash Transfers, our durable solutions, and the National Social Safety Nets Programme (NASSP).
He stated that the project is coming at the right time with right partners and building on the right foundation, averring that the common goal is to make social protection in Nigeria inclusive, shock-responsive and permanent.
“I stand before you today with a heavy heart, and also with a heart full of hope. A heavy heart because exactly seven days ago, I stood here in Benue State, alongside President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to mourn with the grieving and to condole with the families and communities shattered by the brutal killings in Yelwata.
“We saw the sorrow in the eyes of mothers who had lost everything. We walked in the Teaching Hospital among children who are now without shelter, without certainty, and in some cases, without parents. The visit was a confrontation with our collective responsibility, and a reminder that for many Nigerians, vulnerability is a daily reality.
“May our actions from this moment forward reflect the weight of their loss and the urgency of their suffering.
” Yet even in the shadow of this tragedy, we gather here today with hope, and certainly a Real hope. Our Hope is Renewed because the launch of the SUSI project is a lifeline for these vulnerable groups. It is a deliberate effort to say: never again should a community fall through the cracks of our safety nets.
“To those widows, orphans and the displaced in Yelwata, and to the thousands like them, I say today, we have seen you, we have heard you and we will remember you. Through these partnership and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, we will build systems that will not forget you.
“To the European Union through Ambassador Gautier Mignot, your action will be felt in the tents of the displaced, in the dignity of a widow receiving support, and in the tears of a child who will now have food and sleep under shelter. The partnership of the EU is seen, heard, and deeply appreciated by the Government and people of Nigeria.
To UNICEF and ILO, you remain faithful champions of the poor, and you prove again today that social protection is not an act of charity; it is justice.
“To our donor community, I make this heartfelt appeal: Now is the time to do more. The need is vast, but so is the opportunity. Let us not wait for the next tragedy to act.
“To the displaced and affected communities: You are not forgotten. The promise of Renewed Hope includes you. It is for you.
“And to the Benue State Government, under the compassionate leadership of Governor Hyacinth Alia: Let this project work. Own it. Embed it in your institutions. Let Benue show Nigeria that even from ashes of this trauma, we can build transformation”, the Minister stated.
