The minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu, says the Nigerian Air Force remains a key enabler in successfully implementing the eight-point agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

A statement by the NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, on Wednesday, said the minister said this when she paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar.

Ms Edu said Mr Tinubu remained committed to reducing the number of Nigerians needing humanitarian assistance. She said the commitment would only be realisable if the ministry could have easy access to some of the victims who reside in inaccessible areas.

According to Ms Edu, given the difficulty experienced in gaining access to these locations, she was at the NAF headquarters to seek assurance and solicit assistance in delivering relief materials to the needy in areas hindered by difficult terrains or insecurity.

The minister promised that families of air force veterans and those who paid the supreme price while on active duty would be captured in the new expanded poverty alleviation programme set to be rolled out.

Ms Edu called for establishing a humanitarian desk officer at NAF headquarters to ease liaison with her ministry during the compilation and submission of the list of beneficiaries to ensure that the appropriate NAF beneficiaries were captured under the programme.

Ms Edu commended the NAF for assisting the ministry and its parastatals in the areas of casualty evacuation, distribution of relief materials, and evacuation of stranded Nigerians in conflict areas overseas.

Mr Abubakar said NAF and the ministry had a long history of collaboration directly or through its numerous agencies. Mr Abubakar assured the minister of the air force’s readiness and willingness to assist her in achieving the ministry’s mandate and called for effective coordination, which, he said, was the cornerstone of any successful humanitarian operation.

Mr Abubakar also proposed key areas where NAF and the ministry could strengthen their partnership.

According to him, the two organisations can partner in joint training and capacity building and optimise disaster response protocols to enable us to act swiftly, minimise duplication of efforts and ensure more efficient allocation of resources.

He added that close collaboration would ensure that aid gets to those in need promptly and efficiently. 

(NAN)