By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Oore of Otun-Ekiti and Permanent Chairman, Moba Traditional Council of Obas, Kings and Chiefs, His Majesty Oba Dr. Adekunle Adeagbo Ilufemiloye I Okinbaloye II, has commended the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, for his commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians and his respect for traditional institutions.
The traditional ruler gave the commendation when he and members of his entourage paid a courtesy visit to the Minister at his office.
Oba Adeagbo expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for various interventions aimed at reducing poverty and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable citizens, particularly the Renewed Hope Skill Acquisition Programme and cash transfer initiatives.
He said the interventions had made positive impacts in communities and provided support to people facing economic hardship.
The monarch, while acknowledging the efforts of the Federal Government in addressing poverty and humanitarian challenges, appealed to the Ministry to extend other relevant government programmes and interventions to his people in Otun-Ekiti and surrounding communities.
He also praised Minister Doro for what he described as his compassionate and people-oriented approach to humanitarian service, noting that his commitment to vulnerable Nigerians was worthy of commendation.
The traditional ruler further commended the Minister for recognising the importance of traditional institutions and maintaining respect for traditional rulers in the implementation of government policies and programmes.
According to him, traditional institutions remain important partners in reaching grassroots communities because of their close relationship with the people and their understanding of local challenges.
Receiving the Oore of Otun-Ekiti and his delegation, Minister Doro appreciated the traditional ruler for the visit and for recognising the impact of the Federal Government’s interventions across communities.
The Minister reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to ensuring that humanitarian and poverty-reduction interventions reach vulnerable Nigerians irrespective of their location, social status or background.
Doro explained that his engagements with communities and stakeholders across different parts of the country were driven by the need to better understand the challenges confronting vulnerable populations and strengthen government interventions accordingly.
He stressed that effective humanitarian intervention requires continuous engagement with communities and relevant stakeholders, particularly traditional institutions that have direct knowledge of the needs and circumstances of people at the grassroots.
The Minister said the Federal Government remained focused on reducing poverty, improving livelihoods and providing opportunities for vulnerable Nigerians to become more economically resilient.
He noted that interventions under the Ministry were being pursued with the objective of ensuring that government support gets to those who need it most.
Doro also emphasised the importance of collaboration between the Federal Government and traditional institutions in achieving sustainable results in humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction.
He assured the Oore and his delegation that the concerns raised during the visit would receive appropriate attention within the framework of the Ministry’s programmes and available interventions.
The Minister’s position reflects the broader effort of the Federal Government to strengthen social protection, skills development and livelihood support as part of its response to poverty and humanitarian challenges across the country.
The courtesy visit provided an opportunity for both the traditional institution and the Ministry to discuss ways of deepening collaboration and ensuring that government interventions are more effectively felt by vulnerable citizens at the grassroots.
The meeting also underscored the growing role of traditional institutions as partners in the delivery of social and humanitarian programmes, particularly in identifying beneficiaries, communicating community needs and supporting the effective implementation of government initiatives.
The Ministry reaffirmed its determination to sustain engagement with stakeholders across the country as part of efforts to build a more responsive humanitarian and poverty-reduction system that addresses the needs of vulnerable Nigerians.
