The ministry came under heavy criticism over its perceived poor handling of palliative distribution in the aftermath of the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Many claimed that the ministry shortchanged vulnerable Nigerians with its handling of the exercise, particularly the claim that yet-to-be-disclosed billions of naira were spent to feed pupils from poor homes during the period of the lockdown.

But the Minister in charge of the ministry, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, told the Senate Committee on Special Duty penultimate week that civil society organisations would henceforth be involved in the distribution of palliatives.

The minister spoke when she appeared before the Senate panel to explain her ministry’s utilisation of the COVID-19 intervention fund allocated to it.

She said N2.457bn was released to the ministry in respect of the COVID-19 rapid response and that it was part of the N32.4bn allocated to it.

She said N30bn had yet to be released to her ministry and that past ugly experiences had made her officials involve other bodies, especially the NGOs in future distribution.

However, a former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, told our correspondent on Thursday that the ministry would have to disclose details of its distribution strategies before any form of collaboration with NGOs would work.

Odinkalu, who is currently coordinating a coalition of several civil society groups, also said the government should not use its proposed collaboration with CSOs to gain credibility.

He said, “This (collaboration) cannot be done by co-optation. If the government wants to discuss the concept and strategy of what it calls ‘palliatives’ with CSOs, they are welcome. However, they cannot settle on a mechanism of mismanaging public resources and then decide to co-opt CSOs with crumbs as bribes in order to insulate themselves from deserved criticism. That sucks terribly!”

This was contained in a statement released by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

According to the statement, the portal was developed in collaboration with the CBN.

The platform, according to the statement released, Friday, by Nneka Anibeze, Special Assistant to the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, “will enable exited N-Power beneficiaries to log on and apply for the various economic, empowerment and entrepreneurship options provided by the CBN.”

In the statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, the Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq urged and encouraged interested exited beneficiaries of N- Power to log on to the portal and provide the required additional information for possible placements into the various CBN intervention options.

The Minister also emphasized that the NEXIT PORTAL will determine the suitability of the beneficiaries for the CBN affiliated programs.

“The NEXIT portal is to determine the suitability of the beneficiaries for the CBN affiliated programs and is dependent on meeting the criteria and conditions set by the CBN for the said programs,” she said.

She expressed her deep appreciation to the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, for his support adding that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs remained committed to the vision of Mr President to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

“Minister Umar Farouq pledged the Ministry’s willingness to collaborate with relevant agencies of government and other stakeholders towards the realization of that vision and congratulated the exited beneficiaries while wishing them well in their future endeavours,” the statement read.

It added: “The Federal Government of Nigeria is very proud of the milestones you have achieved during your period of service to the nation. As we prepare to exit into prospective endeavours, we are confident that you will be able to channel all you have learnt over the years into successful ventures that will improve the economy of the country and create further opportunities for you and other citizens.

“Chasing a dream requires effort, passion and hard work which you are now halfway through. I congratulate you and wish you a very successful future”.

The Minister disclosed this while appearing before a house of representatives committee.

She said “We distributed these palliatives to all the states. We have given out 70,000 tons of grains from the national grain centre by Mr President.  We were also given foodstuff by customs and this we distributed around the 36 states of the federation including FCT. We handed over these palliatives to all the state governors for onward distribution to the poor and the vulnerable in their states In FCT, we handed over the palliatives to the two ministers of FCT for distribution to the poor. It is only Rivers state that has not collected their own share. It is still there waiting for them. We have not received a penny from any organization within or outside Nigeria.  We only operate within the budgetary allocation as appropriated (budgeted). But we received some relief items from some organizations during the pandemic like food items, beverages. We have not received any funding from any quarters.”

The online application process, which began on June 26, 2020, was scheduled to close on Sunday, July 26, 2020 and has now been extended August 8, 2020.

The Federal Government explained the extension will avail interested youths the opportunity to also register.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq in a series of tweets on Sunday night disclosed this.

She said over 5 million applicants have applied for the scheme, adding that this number of applications received indicates enthusiasm on the part of the applicants to be part of the programme.

Meanwhile, only 400,000 of the applicants will be absorbed at the end of the application exercise.

“One month after the portal opened for Batch C applications, we are happy to announce that we have received over 5m applications underlining enthusiasm for the programme.

“In a bid to extend the opportunity to all Nigerians and ensure it is truly inclusive, the portal will close at midnight on August 8th, 2020,” she tweeted.

The Minister also promised to review the demands made by the Batch A and B enrollees who will be exiting the programme by the end of this month.

The 500,00 enrolees, during a protest in Abuja last week, demanded N300billion payment.

They also requested the Federal Government to employ all of them as well as pay them a grant of N600, 000 each.

Farouq stated: “I received news of a protest at the National Assembly by N-Power Batch A and B beneficiaries who presented a list of demands which we are reviewing and will address as practically possible.

“Let me reiterate that the exiting of Batch A and B is not punitive but as a means of providing an opportunity for their brothers and sisters to also access the programme. Batch A and B beneficiaries remain our pride and worthy ambassadors.”

Speaking at a joint press conference over the weekend with the European Union Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenari and the Nigerian Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq, Kallon raised an alarm of aid workers increasingly becoming direct targets of attacks and abduction by non-state armed groups

He said “We are extremely worried that aid workers who are mostly Nigerians working to deliver critical life-saving humanitarian assistance to fellow compatriots have increasingly become direct targets of attacks and abduction by non-state armed groups”