The Federal Government is implementing a unified and transparent poverty response system to improve coordination, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, has revealed.
Speaking in Uyo on Saturday during an engagement with beneficiaries of the HOPE Conditional Cash Transfer (HOPE-CT) programme, Mr Doro said the new approach was designed to ensure that support reached the right households.
The HOPE-CT initiative is a flagship poverty reduction programme under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“As a government, we need to be sure that support is reaching the intended households and improving their livelihoods,” Mr Doro said.
“Part of the reason for this event is to strengthen accountability, deepen awareness, and guide future policy direction. My reasoning is that interventions should not only be designed in offices – they should be validated in communities and experienced by the people.”
The minister noted that the HOPE-CT programme had so far reached 9.47 million households across Nigeria, though he acknowledged that some citizens remained unaware of the initiative.
He commended President Tinubu for prioritising the welfare of Nigerians under the Renewed Hope vision.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Emem Ibanga, praised the Federal Government’s efforts. He said ongoing poverty reduction programmes would make a significant difference in the national economy.
“The efforts of the Federal Government are commendable,” Mr Eno said. “They are helping to improve the welfare of vulnerable groups through targeted humanitarian programmes.”
One of the beneficiaries, Philomena Asuquo from Uruan Local Government Area, said the cash transfer initiative had helped cushion the effects of the country’s tough economic conditions.
