By HOSEA NYAMLONG
The Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, has reaffirmed his commitment to collaborate closely with journalists in Plateau State to achieve the ministry’s goals of alleviating poverty and improving the welfare of vulnerable citizens.
Dr Doro made this known during a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council Secretariat in Jos on Monday.
He said his mission aligned with the vision of the Ministry—to establish a social protection system that is proactive, humane, inclusive and sustainable for the betterment of the vulnerable and disadvantaged.
The minister expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for entrusting him with the responsibility to serve the nation under the Renewed Hope agenda.
He recalled that his leadership journey began in Plateau, where he first learned in schools, communities and hospitals that “leadership is about service, and service is about compassion.”
Dr Doro stated that those early experiences shaped his conviction that government exists to make life easier, fairer and more dignified for every Nigerian citizen.
He pledged to build a ministry that listened, responded and acted with transparency, accountability and measurable impact, particularly in delivering interventions to vulnerable groups, including Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Plateau and across the country.
Dr Doro assured that, in the coming months, his ministry would strengthen social protection systems, expand access to poverty alleviation programmes and ensure that humanitarian support reaches people where they were—not just where cameras went.
“We would work with State Governments, local communities, development partners, traditional institutions, and faith-based organisations to build a seamless humanitarian network across Nigeria,” Doro stated.
“Plateau, with its diverse communities and resilient people, will serve as a model state for inclusive humanitarian action, where every displaced person is accounted for, every vulnerable household is supported, and every youth has access to skills and opportunity,” he added.
Responding to questions from journalists, the minister disclosed that his focus was to restore the hope of displaced people and ensure that government outreach and interventions reached those most in need.
He expressed optimism that, by the end of the administration’s tenure, there would be verifiable data showing measurable reductions in poverty levels through targeted skills acquisition and improved welfare systems under the National Social Investment Programmes.
Earlier in her remarks, the NUJ Chairman, Mrs Ayuku Pwaspo, congratulated Dr Doro on his appointment and appreciated his visit to the secretariat.
She assured him of journalists’ support to help him succeed in his national assignment.
Pwaspo noted that Plateau State faced a complex emergency requiring urgent humanitarian attention, particularly to enable Internally Displaced Persons to return to their ancestral lands and rebuild their lives.
She added that poverty levels in Nigeria had continued to rise and urged the minister to prioritise interventions that would have direct, positive impacts on citizens.
She assured Dr Doro that the NUJ’s doors remained open for collaboration with the ministry.