She raised the alarm while defending the 2024 budget of the ministry at the National Assembly on Tuesday in Abuja.

She lamented before the Senator Idiat Adebule-led Senate Committee on Poverty Alleviation, noting that the sum of N532.5 billion, which represents a 28 per cent increase over the 2023 budget to cushion the effects of inflation, was grossly inadequate.

She insisted that the 28 per cent increase in the overhead ceiling is not commensurate with the 27.33 per cent inflationary rate in the economy today.

The capital budget ceiling, according to her, was reduced from N3.7 billion in 2022 to N1.328316 billion in 2023, which represents a 71 per cent reduction.

To tackle poverty in line with the mandate of the ministry, Edu pleaded with the panel to look into her envelope to increase it.

The chairman of the committee, Idiat Adebule, asked whether the minister presented the budget for the Trust Fund at the budget planning stage.

Beta Edu said it was presented to the Ministry of Budget but was not included in what her ministry got.

She said: “This was clearly stated as an omission and that is why we are asked to bring it in as a memo to the committee to see how they can consider it.”

When asked by the committee members if she had the memo with her, Beta responded in the affirmative.

This was made known at a Town Hall meeting at the Women Development Center in Yola, the capital of Adamawa.

A statement by the United Nations (UN) said Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, and EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi attended.

Others were Women Affairs Minister, Pauline Tallen; Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, and Heads of Spotlight Initiative Agencies.

Agba disclosed that the government is working on attaining a “gender-responsive budget, gender inclusiveness in plans and actions including in public appointments”.

The official advocated strengthened coordination mechanisms across the 36 states, the FCT and the major thematic areas.

“It is this effective coordination that will support sustainable results”, the minister added.

He acknowledged EU-UN contributions “in fostering transformative change and instituting meaningful milestones around the elimination of violence against women and girls”.

Tallen commended Governor Ahmadu Fintri for the passage of the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP).

She called it a great step towards the successful elimination of violence against women and girls in Adamawa.

The minister urged the governor to domesticate the Child’s Right Act (2003).

“I know you are working assiduously with the House of Assembly to make sure this comes true”, Tallen said.

In his remark, Fintiri stressed his administration’s zero-tolerance to Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV).

“I signed the VAPP Act into law. I will work with the House of Assembly to ensure we domesticate the Child’s Right Act”, he assured.

The Senate resolution following the approval of its Committee on Local and Foreign Loans as presented by the Chairman, Clifford Ordia.

The Committee recommended that the Senate approves Buhari’s request for the issuance of $3,000,000,000 but not more than $6,183,081,643.40, Eurobond in the International Capital Market.

The External Borrowing of N2,343,387,942,848, according to the panel, should be for the financing of part of the deficit authorised in the 2021 Appropriation Act.

The Committee also recommended that the Senate should approve that the amount authorised may be raised from multiple sources such as the International Capital Market and any other Multilateral or Bilateral sources as may be available.

It also recommended that the Senate directs the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Director General of the Debt Management Office and the Governor the Central Bank of Nigeria to submit to the National Assembly within 10 working days (excluding the day of close of trading) a letter containing the United State Dollars amount so raised and received as a result of the above approval together with the applicable exchange rate.

The passage followed a satisfactory report by Senator Jibrin Barau, Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation, where he explained that the supplementary budget would augment the effort of various government agencies to discharge their responsibilities.

Barau pointed out that security agencies will be able to procure arms and equipment as they strive to combat insecurity across the country.

He said: “That the Senate do consider the report of the Committee on Appropriation on the supplementary Appropriation bill, 2021.”

After the report, Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan during the Committee of the whole considered clause by clause and passed the Bill.

In his remarks, Lawan enjoined government agencies to utilise the funds for the purpose for which it was allocated, while he expressed optimism that the story of insecurity would change given that enough money has been appropriated for it.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, gave this indication during plenary after the Senate Committee on Appropriation laid its report on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2021.

The consideration of the request from the Executive by the Senate is an indication that the supplementary budget would be passed tomorrow.

The Appropriations Committee Chairman, Senator Jibrin Barau, had last week pleaded with the upper chamber to allow the Joint Committees of the Senate and House of Representatives come up with a harmonised report on the supplementary bill to facilitate its eventual presentation today.

Senator Barau in keeping with his request for time extension finally laid the report on the Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2021, before the upper chamber during plenary on Tuesday.

The N895, 842,465,917.00 Supplementary Budget is meant to tackle insecurity and health-related issues to the Committee on Appropriation.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, however asked the Senator Barau Jibrin-led panel to submit its report on Tuesday next week.

The report of the panel would be submitted, considered, and passed the same day.

President Muhammdu Buhari had on Tuesday transmitted the document to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

This fund is designed to create an avenue where the accessing of credit facilities and financing for the youths will be readily possible and accessible so as to adequately fund their numerous ideas, innovations and also support their various enterprise.

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare made this known after the 9th virtual meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

Commenting on the category of youth who will benefit from the special fund, Dare stated that people whose age falls within 18 and 35 will enjoy this fund.

According to him, “For the first time in the history of Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council today approved the establishment of the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) to the tune of N75 billion.

“This fund is meant to create a special window for accessing credit facilities and financing on the part of our youths that will help to fund their ideas, innovations, and also support their enterprise.

“The best way to call it is that for the first time the country will have a youth bank. A fund that will cater specifically for our youth within the stipulated age band, which is going to be between 18 and 35 years.

“The second approval that secured was for the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development to play a lead role in working on necessary steps that need to be taken in terms of legislation, organisation and other aspects of financing.”

He said that the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning will take the lead when it comes to the aspect of the financing, working with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and other relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs.

He said, “A couple of other details will be released later, but I think the most important thing is that the N75 billion Nigerian Youth Investment Fund, to cater specifically for this target group, a population of over 68 million, got the attention and support of the Federal Executive Council today and this fund will be assessed by our youths, once they are able to present their ideas, they can assess this fund directly.”