The newly appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has pledged to restore public trust in the ministry through transparency and unity.
Nentawe was speaking in Abuja during his resumption of duty at Ministry’s headquarters on Monday, nine months after the former Minister, Dr. Betta Edu, was suspended.
The minister stressed the need to close the “trust deficit” between the ministry and Nigerians, prioritizing actions that make government operations visible and accountable.
Joined by Minister of State Dr. Tanko Sununu, and other officials of the ministry, the minister outlined plans for automation to ensure transparency.
“We must clean up our image,” the minister stated, emphasizing that visibility in processes would encourage partnerships and restore public confidence.
Yilwatda said, “We have an image issue that we need to address. We have a trust deficit between the ministry the general public, and the international community, and we must clean those image issues.
“We must address the issue of the trust deficit. So we close the gap between us and the international community and the public also. And in doing that, we need to also ensure that we bring in transparency.
“And part of the measure of transparency is to ensure that we get most of our processes automated. So that we can bring some level of transparency. So that we ensure at the same time that what we are doing can be visible and visibility brings transparency both at the local and international levels.
“I will work together with all of you to ensure that we bring some level of transparency and that will encourage people to invest in our activities and provide some partnership for us as a people.”
He added, “I am not here to do miracles. No, I’m here to find a family where we can sit down together and work on the modality of addressing the issues that are facing us as a country.
“We have challenges that we, as a nation, must recognize, identify, come together as a people, and address them for the sake of ourselves and our future. And that’s the reason why I’m here together with the Minister of State, the perm sec and all of the heads of the agencies, the directors is for us to work together.”
He also appealed to the staff of the agency to support his administration.
“It’s an appeal I’m making to you today. You allow us to work as a family, as a people, so that we can make a definite change within the shortest period that is left for us before the end of the tenure of Mr. President. We have also a time with destiny.”
While stating that he understands the civil service system, the minister assured that he would not circumvent the functions of the staff.
“Myself and the Minister of State cannot come here to disrupt what has been happening in the ministry. I know how the civil service works. So I will not circumvent anybody’s function. Everybody will take their normal job schedule. And we’ll allow them to function as much as possible. And where possible, we’ll synergize together to ensure that we get the work done.”
He also charged the staff of the ministry to be the image makers of the federal government.
“We must give a human face to every reform that government is doing. Because some of the reforms are coming with their consequences. And it’s our duty as a group of people who are here to ensure that we give a human face to every policy of government so that Nigerians will not feel the pressure of the reforms that the government is taking because they are necessary reforms.
“If we do our jobs, the people at the grassroots and the people at the lower part of the social ladder will not, in the course of implementing that policy, be suppressed.”
