Protocols

It’s my pleasure to welcome you all on this day, the commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

Today is a significant day for us in Nigeria and for my administration for it brings with it an opportunity for me to restate my administration’s commitment to poverty alleviation as expressed in my 8 point Agenda.

Our plans for food security, ending hunger, poverty eradication, economic growth and job creation are all means by which we shall fight poverty and help the most vulnerable members of our society. In this vital pursuit, we have already taken several important steps, including:

1. Restructuring of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to include Poverty Alleviation and providing the policy framework for an aggressive poverty alleviation drive in Nigeria;

2. Developing the Renewed Hope Agenda for Humanitarian Response and Poverty Alleviation which is a 7-Year roadmap for Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria;

3. Expanding the National Social Register to capture Nigerians living below one dollar per day, via a phased approach;

4. Restructuring the National Social Investment Programme and repositioning it for quick and efficient delivery that is transparent and accountable in line with our commitment to fight corruption; and

5. Partnering with the World Bank Group and other development partners to implement conditional cash transfers, business grants and other forms of support for the most vulnerable households via the National social safety net expansion program.

The theme of this year’s commemoration: “Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all” is no doubt in perfect alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda. My government will lead from the front in seeking to ensure that all Nigerians have opportunities decent for dignified work and sustained social protection.

Today, my administration is launching the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer

Program for vulnerable groups as an immediate intervention to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and other economic shocks.

However, the government is working to develop and deploy several more solutions and interventions to help Nigerians of all walks of life. These include:

A. Investment of N100 Billion to purchase 3000 units of 20-seater Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered buses for cheaper transportation;

B. Investment of N200 Billion to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland to improve food security;

C. The release of 2000 metric tons of grains from the strategic grain reserves to households across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory;

D. The distribution of 225,000 metric tons of fertilizer and seedlings to farmers committed to the nation’s food security;

E. The release of 75 billion to support 100,000 SMEs and start-ups;

F. Renewed Hope Shelter Programme for the Poor, Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons targeted at one million households;

G. Renewed Hope Business Grants & Loans for Vulnerable Market women, farmers, and traders to expand their business (GEEP) targeted at 2 million beneficiaries;

H. Renewed Hope support to MSME to cover 1 million MSMEs;

I. Renewed Hope Skill Acquisition Programmes for young Nigerians who express interest for different clusters targeted at 5 million Nigerians over 5 years;

J. The Renewed Hope National Home Grown School Feeding Programme providing school meals for 10 million school children;

K. The Renewed Hope Alternate School Programme to provide transit learning education for 10 million out of school children who are out of school following internal displacement or issues of insecurity;

L. Renewed Hope for At-Risk Children Programme;

M. Renewed Hope Community and Social Development Programme for community grassroot projects;

N. And Renewed Hope Job Creation Scheme amongst other people centred initiatives;

Permit me, finally, to use this opportunity to call on you all to continue to contribute your own quota in partnership with the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

It is only via a sustained collaborative approach that we can win this war against poverty in Nigeria and the world at large.

Hope is here. I ask the Nigerian people to please ensure that they key into all the available programs because they are here to help.

Our objective is to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty. Yet, this will only be possible that with the cooperation of the people we seek to help. Let Us continue to work together to achieve our collective goal of eradicating poverty in Nigeria.

I hereby flag-off the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer programme for 15 million Households targeted at uplifting poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Thank You.

His Excellency,

Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

President and Commander-in-Chief of the

Armed Forces,

Federal Republic of Nigeria.

17 October 2023.