By Folayimika Akanbi
In continuation of its poverty reduction programme, the federal government has disbursed a sum of N11,482,020,000.00 to hundreds of thousands of residents in Kwara State.
The fund was provided to the beneficiaries in three tranches under the government’s conditional cash transfer.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, stated this in Ilorin weekend during his stakeholder engagement and interaction with beneficiaries of the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer Programme (HOPE-CT) in the state.
Doro disclosed that while 183,186
households benefitted in the first tranche,
139,812 and 141,852 households received the financial support for the second and third tranches respectively.
The Minister noted that the fund disbursement, one of the flagship programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, is designed for the beneficiaries to exit poverty with dignity.
Doro, who lauded Tinubu for what he referred to as his strong leadership and commitment to strengthening social protection in Nigeria, pointed out that the President’s vision has continued to guide his ministry toward building a system that delivers measurable outcomes for vulnerable Nigerians.
The Minister said his visit to Kwara was to interact, listen and obtain relevant information from the beneficiaries to enable the government moot a new strategy so that the present administration’s objective of seeing millions of citizens out of poverty could be realized.
“I chose to be here personally because leadership must not operate at a distance. I needed to come down myself to see, to hear, and to understand what is working and what must change. Kwara State holds a unique place in the evolution of this programme, having contributed significantly to shaping its structure and strengthening its delivery.
“Speaking specifically to Kwara State, the programme has reached a significant
number of households across multiple phases. In the first tranche, 183,186
households were supported. In the second tranche, 139,812 households
received support, while in the third tranche, 141,852 households benefited.
The total disbursement across these three tranches stands at N11,482,020,000.00.
“It is important to state clearly that these figures should not be aggregated as
entirely separate sets of beneficiaries. Many transition across phases due to the
NIN validation process, ensuring accuracy and accountability.
“This engagement aligns directly with the vision of a One Humanitarian – One Poverty Response System. This means, in simple but critical terms, that interventions must no longer operate in silos. They must be connected, tracked, and structured toward a clear outcome. Support must lead somewhere. It must move people forward.
“This direction is directly linked to our poverty exit strategy, which we are
strengthening to ensure that every intervention contributes to a defined pathway out of poverty. We are strengthening the system to ensure that interventions such as livelihood support, training, and cooperative structures are not only delivered, but are aligned toward measurable outcomes,” Doro said.
In her remarks, the state Commissioner for Social Development, Dr Mariam Nnafatima Imam, told the gathering that the funds were disbursed in three tranches of N25,000, N50,000 and N75,000.
She stated that the federal government’s financial support has helped families stay afloat, rebuild and look ahead with more confidence.
The commissioner said the fund disbursement is in tune with the policy of the state government to curb poverty among the vulnerable population.
Imam said, “This programme aligns strongly with the vision of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Through the Ministry of Social Development, the state continues to support orphans and vulnerable children, promote inclusion for persons with disabilities, strengthen juvenile centres and expand care for the elderly and those in need.
“Alongside KWASSIP and in collaboration with HOPE-CT, these efforts are improving lives across our communities. The State Cash Transfer Unit being housed within KWASSIP has also made coordination easier and more effective.”
Others, who spoke at the event including state Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bolanle Olukoju; Acting General Manager of Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP), Dr Olayinka Tejidini, recalled that Kwara State government pioneered conditional cash transfer while the federal government and some states in the country had taken a from the template.
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