Nwoko, in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, emphasised the need for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s social safety net.
He argued that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, despite its intentions, had failed to address the root causes of poverty and social insecurity.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement yesterday, highlighted the urgent need to reimagine Nigeria’s approach to social welfare as the nation faces worsening poverty, widespread unemployment, and a sense of despair among its citizens.
Onwubiko echoed Senator Nwoko’s sentiments, stressing that social security is a fundamental right of every Nigerian citizen.
He criticized the existing model of social support, describing it as a “patronizing and demeaning approach” that perpetuates dependency.
He argued that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs symbolizes.a flawed system, where temporary relief measures have replaced long-term empowerment and self-sufficiency.
He outlined several reasons President Tinubu should implement Senator Nwoko’s recommendations.
In addition, he emphasized that creating a National Social Security Agency would represent a significant shift from the charity-oriented framework currently dominating Nigeria’s social welfare landscape.
“Unlike the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, which is seen as a temporary solution to immediate crises, the proposed agency would institutionalize a rights-based approach to social support, restoring the dignity of vulnerable Nigerians who deserve to be treated as citizens with inherent rights rather than dependents on state benevolence,” he said.
