The Kogi State Commissioner for Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Hon. Rabietu Okute has appealed to the State Governor His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to employ more staff to tackle the challenges of manpower deficit in the new ministry.
Hon. Okute who is the pioneer commissioner of the ministry made the appeal shortly after she defended the 2025 budget of her ministry at the State House of Assembly in Lokoja.
The commissioner , explained that shortage of staff had been hampering the smooth operation of the ministry especially during an intervention where relief materials are distributed to the 21 local government areas of the state in addition to other places of concern.
She said “As a new ministry our major challenge is manpower, we don’t have enough staff. Our operation is distribution of relief materials to the 21 LGAs and orphanage homes across the state.
“We are appealing to His Excellency to employ more staff for the ministry to ease our activities”.
Speaking on the issue of diversion of materials meant for the people, the commissioner refuted the claims and allegations, saying since she came on board as commissioner of the ministry such incident has never happened under her watch as the commissioner.
“Since I assumed office as the commissioner for humanitarian and poverty alleviation there was no single case of diversion of materials meant for the people. I personally monitored the distribution of relief materials down to the local government areas to ensure that the materials reaches the people at the grassroots.
“In addition to that , whenever my ministry embarked on distribution of relief materials at the end of the exercise I give a report to His Excellency to abreast him of our activities in the ministry.
While cautioning staff of the ministry against indulging on shoddy deals that will not be in the interest of the ministry and the state government, the commissioner warned vehemently that her ministry will not condone any act that will jeopardize the effort of the federal and the state government, saying whoever is caught will be handed over to security agents to face the full wrath of the law.
She assured that if the budget of my ministry sailed through , in 2025 there will be reduction of poverty in Kogi State to zero level.