Mohammed Shosanya
The House of Representatives,Tuesday summoned the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu over modalities to be used in the distribution of N25,000 per month to 15 million households over a period of three months.
The resolution of the House follows an urgent motion moved by Morufu Adebayo (Osun, PDP) at plenary.
President Bola Tinubu had flag off the Renewed Hope conditional cash transfer programme for 15 million households targeted at uplifting poor and vulnerable Nigerians as an immediate intervention to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and other economic shocks.
The conditional cash transfer which will gulp about N1.1trn is one of 15 items in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour on October 2, 2023.
In his debate, Hon. Adebayo regretted that there had been a lot of unsatisfactory feedback from the ways and manners palliative to vulnerable Nigerians have been handled by some, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Reminding the House about the ugly scenario witnessed during the COVID19 palliative distribution few years ago, where items from international donor meant to cushion the effect of the pandemic were mismanaged, he said the distribution process has not in any way reduce hardship in the land.
He said: “Cognizant that the removal of fuel subsidy necessitated the introduction of various programmes, policies and intervention to alleviate and boost the economics of families and small businesses.
“Also cognizant that the National Assembly members. being closer to the people of Nigeria are meant to represent the interest and concerns of their constituents at the National level, therefore deserved to be fully briefed and carried along in the implementation process.
“Worried that there is growing suspicion of ways and manners this programme will be implemented.
“Also worried that the lack of transparent handling of the previous conditional cash transfer programmes has led to corruption and fraud, where funds intended for vulnerable people were misappropriated by individuals.
After deliberation, the House mandated
the committee on constituency outreach and committee on poverty Alleviation to invite the minister to give detailed policy documents adopted in allocation and distribution of funds for the conditional cash transfer in order to ensure transparency and accountability.
