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It is also removing beneficiaries who have excited the
poverty line.
We learnt that the
government was also taking out dead beneficiaries from the register and would
disqualify those without National Identification Numbers and Bank Verification
Numbers.
It was further gathered that payments would be made directly
to the beneficiaries by the Central Bank of Nigeria and not through
consultants, as the first batch of bulk payments would begin next week for five
million households.
The Conditional Cash Transfer scheme is part of the National
Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government, which is a project
created to change the lives of millions of Nigerians living in extreme poverty,
upgrade their standards of living and improve the economy.
In commemoration of the 2023 International Day for the
Eradication of Poverty on Tuesday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu launched the
disbursement of N25,000 to 15 million households for three months as a social
safety net intervention.
The aim is to mitigate the impact of the recent fuel subsidy
removal and help eradicate poverty across the country.
Providing further details on the initiative in response to
inquiries by Saturday PUNCH, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Rasheed Olanrewaju,
stated that the cash transfer scheme had been reviewed and expanded.
Asked if the Federal Government would use the old register
used by the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration to transfer the
money, he stated, “We are using a verified expanded register that has
pensioners and veterans, as well as other vulnerable persons who were not
captured.”
Confirming the position of the minister’s media aide, the
National Communications Manager, National Social Investment Programme Agency,
Jamaldeen Kabir, stated that beneficiaries who had exited the poverty line were
being removed from the register.
Kabir said, “What he (Olanrewaju) told you is very correct,
because the register is being expanded. First of all, it has to be verified so
that those who are out of the poverty line will be removed from the old
register.
“Those in the register, are they still within the poverty
line or have they exited the line? The expansion will also include the wives of
fallen heroes and pensioners.”
On when the cash transfer would begin, Olanrewaju stated
that though bulk payments would commence from next week, some of those who had
been verified had already started receiving payment alerts.
“The cash transfer (scheme) has been launched and once a
household is verified, they get paid. The batches begin this month, next week
to be precise; however, verified people have started receiving alerts,” he
stated.
Also commenting on when the cash transfer would begin, Kabir
said, “Actually, when the programme was launched at the Presidential Villa
three days ago, some beneficiaries were presented with some cheques.
“So, before this month ends, the beneficiaries in the first
phase will receive theirs, and this phase caters to five million households.
So, we are expecting those five million households to receive money in the
months of October, November and December,” Olanrewaju added.
On how many ghost recipients had been discovered, the
minister’s aide stated that a lot of measures had been put in place to make the
scheme credible, such as the introduction of the NIN and BVN.
“They may not be ghosts, but we have put in place many
controls to make the process credible and clean. First, we looked for the NIN
and BVN to match with in-person verification and biometrics. The process is
from the CBN to the beneficiaries; there are no middlemen,” Olanrewaju stated.
Asked to state the number of dead recipients, he replied,
“We have struck off many names following the verification. The final figure
will be out in weeks; it may run into millions.
“Some are dead; some are no longer in that category (of the
poor) and some could not be identified at locations given, so wait till we get
the compilation ready,” he added.
Asked to state those involved in identity theft, he said,
“All these will be determined when the final report is out. For now, we will
pay those fully verified and the names will be pasted in communities.
“Fifteen million households amount to about 62 million
individuals, with an average of five persons per household.”
The humanitarian ministry stated that the determination of
the Federal Government to eradicate poverty was in line with the President’s
Renewed Hope Agenda, which has poverty eradication, food security, economic
growth and job creation as priorities.
At the launch of the cash transfer scheme on Tuesday,
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator George Akume, enumerated various steps his administration
had taken to ameliorate poverty in the country.
These, according to the President, include providing the
policy framework and road map for poverty alleviation, developing humanitarian
response and expanding the National Social Register to capture Nigerians living
below $1.95 per day.
Other steps include restructuring of the National Social
Investment Programme and repositioning it for quick and efficient delivery that
is transparent, as well as partnering with the World Bank Group and other
development partners to implement conditional cash transfers and business
grants, among others.
The ministry stated that the government was also investing
N100bn in the purchase of 3,000 units of 20-seater Compressed Natural
Gas-powered buses for cheaper transportation.
It further stated that there was an investment of N200bn to
cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland to improve food security.
The ministry added, “The release of 2,000 metric tonnes of
grains from the strategic grains reserves to households across the 36 states
and the Federal Capital Territory. The distribution of 225,000 metric tonnes of
fertilisers and seedlings to farmers, who are committed to the nation’s food
security.
“The release of N75bn to support 100,000 small and medium
enterprises and start-ups. Renewed Hope Shelter Programme for the poor,
refugees and internally displaced persons targeted at one million households.
“Business grants and loans for vulnerable market women,
farmers and traders to expand their business, targeted at two million
beneficiaries, among other interventions from various ministries through a
multi-sectoral approach.”
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty
Alleviation, Betta Edu, recently stated that all stakeholders, including the
private sector players, development partners and other nations, should support
Nigeria in its drive to eliminate poverty.
She stated, “The cardinal goal of President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu’s administration is to give the poor and vulnerable Nigerians a new
breath of hope, which is also in line with the SDG target”
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not relent until
vulnerable Nigerians are completely pulled out of poverty by 2030.”
Edu said the conditional cash transfer was a proven way to
alleviate poverty, as it would give households the financial support to start
micro and small enterprises, provide basic health care and food, keep their
children in school and attend to the immediate needs of the households.
She stated, “Mr. President, during the October 1, 2023,
national broadcast, announced this intervention; we have gone through a
thorough and rigorous process of verification for the National Social Register,
giving us the lead way to begin payments.
“The beneficiaries are drawn from across all states in the
country plus the Federal Capital Territory and it is being done in a
transparent manner that is traceable and verifiable.
“Beyond this, the government will be providing low-cost
shelter for the poor and internally displaced persons as a form of providing
that cover for them.
“Several other interventions, including the rural vocational
skills intervention, will be carried out on a country-wide scale. All of these
are targeted at the various dimensions of poverty across the country.”