10 Things to know about the New Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Betta Edu

A new Minister for the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has been appointed by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration. Her Name is Betta Edu.

Here are 10 Things to know about the New Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu.

1. Betta Chimaobi Edu hails from Ibalebo Village in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

2. She is currently 36 years, a twin, born in Lagos on 27th October 1986 to the Family of Mr Emmanuel Eke, a businessman who worked with an engineering firm but later became a missionary. Betta's family moved to London, and returned with her four siblings when she was 8 years old.

3. Betta Edu is a Medical Doctor and a Public Health Specialist. She is a graduate of the University of Calabar where she obtained a First Degree in Medicine in 2009. Betta later bagged a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, M.Sc in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Doctor of Public Health from the Taxila American University.

4. Is Betta Edu Single or Married? Yes, Betta Edu is successfully married to Mr Edu, a friend from the University days, and has two Children with him.

5. Betta began her political Career as a Special Adviser on Community and Primary Healthcare to the former Governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, upon her appointment by the Governor in 2015. She was the youngest Appointee in the Ayade Administration. Her emergence in the political enclave was made easy by the wife of the then Governor, Dr Linda Ayade, who is her friend and a medical colleague.

6. During the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, Betta was appointed as the Chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce, and later as the National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum in the same year.

7. Betta Edu who began her Political Career under the Umbrella of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2021 following the decampment of the then Governor Ayade to the APC in 2021.

8. In 2022, Betta Edu became the youngest National Woman Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC). As an adent campaigner for Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 Presidential Election, Betta assured women of 35% inclusion in the Tinubu led Administration. This prompted the 36 plus FCT State Women Leaders of APC to pass a vote of confidence on Betta Edu during their visit to President Tinubu in July, 2023.

9. Betta Edu's position as the Chairman of Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce came under controversies as there were allegations of mismanagement of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the State. The Cross River State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) accused and passed vote of no confidence on the State COVID-19 Taskforce led by Betta Edu over professional misconducts on how it handled the COVID-19 Pandemic in the State, which included posting of fake Photos of Ventilators, abandonment of Mrs Gloria Obun, a Medical Lab Scientist in the State government Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), when she tested positive for COVID-19, as reported by the husband, Chief Cletus Obun, former Chaiman of APC in the Cross River State Central; among others. She was also accused of procedural misconducts during her Campaign to become the APC National Women Leader in 2022.

10. Betta Edu, who has been appointed as the new Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and the youngest Minister in the history of the 4th Republic of Nigeria, holds the following Awards: Medical Expert of the Year in 2020, Nigeria Quintessential Woman Award by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in 2020, Award of Excellence by National Youth Council in 2020, and Award of excellence in Gender inclusion by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in 2023.