From Yakubu Wuyep,Jos
The Plateau State Government has introduced the Humanitarian Ministry to address economic challenges and insecurity bedeviling the 17 local government areas (LGAs).
Dr Kachollom Pyam Gang was named the pioneer Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, following the recent cabinet reshuffle by Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang.
Gang pledged to establish a responsive ministry focused on supporting vulnerable residents, displaced persons and communities affected by disasters.
She said the ministry would also create opportunities for affected persons to recover and return to meaningful livelihoods.
The new ministry was approved by the Plateau State Executive Council to strengthen government intervention for vulnerable citizens and improve response to humanitarian emergencies and poverty-related challenges.
Gang described the ministry as a new institution that requires a strong governance structure and clear policies to effectively deliver on its mandate.
She said the ministry would undertake peer reviews with states that had established similar ministries, while engaging the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to draw from existing experience.
According to her, rapid response would be central to the ministry’s humanitarian intervention, stressing that timely assistance could reduce the impact of disasters and emergencies.
“When somebody is affected, the faster you intervene, the better you can help the person. We are looking at how we can respond quickly to people that are negatively affected, either by disaster, attacks and so on,” she said.
Gang noted that Plateau has many people facing different forms of vulnerability issues including those displaced from their homes and persons whose farmlands had been destroyed.
She said the ministry would also focus on the aged and persons living with disabilities, stressing that its intervention would go beyond temporary relief.
The commissioner said the ministry would collaborate with relevant state ministries and agencies, noting that humanitarian challenges required a coordinated response.
She listed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), social investment agencies, and other relevant institutions as partners, while the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would be engaged at the federal level.
Gang also appealed to residents, particularly those in remote communities, to provide timely information on emergencies and humanitarian situations.
“There are things that are happening in the remote areas that we may not know. When people hear of it, we want them to let us know so that we’ll be able to respond quickly,” she said.
She said the ministry would develop appropriate response policies, including measures addressing the needs of women and children, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and other stakeholders.
Gang added that consultants would be engaged to help establish the ministry’s governance structure and departments, saying a strong foundation was necessary for effective humanitarian intervention.
“The first thing we need to do is to set the governance structure so that we know the type of departments we need to establish so that we can kick off almost immediately,” she said.