By Blessing Bature

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has solicited the support of the Bill and Millanda Gates Foundation to address humanitarian crisis and poverty alleviation in Nigeria.

Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Deputy Director Information ,FMHAPA disclosed in a statement that the Minister made the call when she received a delegation from the foundation in her office in Abuja.

According to the Minister, Nigeria has 16 million people facing humanitarian crisis caused by natural and man-made disasters, insecurity and flooding.

This is in addition to refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.

The Minister therefore, called for partnership with development partners, donor bodies and the private sector to get people out of humanitarian crisis and poverty in line with the federal government agenda.

"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to alleviating poverty in Nigeria in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 1,2 and 3 of the 2030 target. Our ministry is working assiduously to implement the presidential directive and we cannot do it alone without partners like you.

“ Please linkup this Ministry to other strategic partners that could support the country’s fight against poverty in Nigeria" she added.

The Country Director, Bill&Millanda Gates Foundation, Jeremie Zoungrana, pledged the foundation's willingness to partner with the Ministry and assured that it will use its wide contact to link up the ministry with strategic partners in specific areas to eradicate poverty in Nigeria.