Nigeria’s Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has taken on the role of the Chairman of the ECOWAS Inter-Ministerial Committee on Social Protection in the West African sub-region. The appointment was confirmed following approval by the Chairman of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria.
Dr. Edu, in her new role, is actively advocating for increased private sector and development partner involvement in the regional social protection framework, emphasizing that the time for action is now.
Addressing the gathering in Banjul, the capital of the Republic of Gambia, during the concluding session of the hybrid inter-ministerial meeting focused on adopting the ECOWAS regional social protection framework and operational plan, Dr. Edu stressed the critical importance of member countries adopting and fully implementing the social protection framework to address humanitarian and poverty challenges in West Africa.
She underscored the imperative for ECOWAS member countries to collaborate in achieving maximum social protection in the sub-region. Dr. Edu described the meeting as crucial and remarkable, recognizing its potential to amplify the initiatives and long-term efforts of the ECOWAS Commission, supported by partners, in establishing social protection instruments in the sub-region.
Dr. Edu, who chaired the event virtually, asserted, “Social Protection is a fundamental human right and should not be regarded as a privilege. It is a social and economic necessity that has proven to be a stabilizer in times of crises and shock, and it is meant to be provided throughout the life cycle.”
