The new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, today officially assumed office at the ministry’s headquarters in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, following his appointment and inauguration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Minister was received by the Minister of State, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, directors of the ministry, heads of agencies under the ministry and programme managers of the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
Doro succeeds Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, who was recently appointed as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In his maiden address, the Minister expressed gratitude for the warm welcome extended to him by the leadership and staff of the ministry.
He said: “It feels like a family, I want to understudy the culture here and be part of it. The positive aspects of our culture will be maintained, and where we need to adjust, we will challenge ourselves to do better.”
Doro emphasised the importance of teamwork, trust, and shared accountability as the bedrock of effective public service delivery, stating that a successful team is not just people working together but “people who truly trust one another.”
Acknowledging his predecessor, he described Yilwatda as “a friend, a mentor, and indeed, a big shoe to fill.”
He told the staff that he would depend on their experience, technical expertise, and institutional memory to build on the achievements already recorded.
He said : “I have lived in the UK for over two decades, and there will be some adjustments to make. But leveraging your experience and knowledge, and with humility to learn and courage to act, we will move the ministry to greater heights.”
Speaking on his vision, the minister underscored the renewed commitment to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, especially in tackling multi-dimensional poverty affecting more than 60% of Nigerians.
“It is our job, as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, to help people move up from where they are to enable them to achieve social mobility.
“We will do this by working together, collaborating, partnering, and ensuring accountability to one another. We want to make hope a reality for the Nigerians we serve.
“I will learn from everyone with humility and strengthen those areas that need to be improved, so that together we can deliver to our people.”
In his welcome remarks, the Minister of State, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, congratulated Doro on his assumption of office, describing him as a “close friend and capable leader whose expertise will enrich the humanitarian and social protection landscape.”
He reflected on the tenure of Yilwatda, commending his team spirit, humility, and exemplary leadership, which, he said, contributed to the confidence President Tinubu placed in him to now lead Nigeria’s ruling party.
He enumerated the Ministry’s recent achievements and milestones, which include the National Social Register (NSR), which now captures 19.8 million households (over 90 million Nigerians) — the largest social database in Africa; Successful integration of the National Social Register (NSR) with the National Identification Number (NIN) to promote transparency, inclusion, and digital access and implementation of Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) reaching over 8.8 million Nigerians, with upcoming tranches to be publicly announced for transparency.
Others are the launch of the “Skill to Wealth Initiative”, which focuses on three thematic areas; automobile maintenance, computer diagnostics, and solar technology and Agriculture, providing youth with vocational skills; the National Policy on Cash Transfer, ensuring that all financial assistance to Nigerians is delivered with respect and dignity; strengthened international partnerships for humanitarian and social intervention programmes; ongoing repatriation of Nigerians and the establishment of the Renewed Hope Resettlement City in Nasarawa State, commissioned by the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Oluremi Tinubu, among others.
Sununu reaffirmed that the ministry would remain steadfast in achieving the President’s vision:
He added: “Our aim is to serve effectively and reposition the Ministry to achieve the ambition of Mr. President, for every Nigerian to live a dignified life, where no one is left behind.”
He assured the new minister of the unwavering support of the ministry’s leadership and staff
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, welcomed the ninister and reaffirmed the ministry’s loyalty and readiness to fully implement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Kofarmata praised the dedication of the Mlministry’s directors, heads of agencies and programme managers, emphasising that the ministry’s work touches the lives of millions of vulnerable Nigerians daily.
He assured the new minister of the cooperation of the entire staff in ensuring 100% implementation of the ministry’s mandate.
