Conditional Cash Transfer : House Invites Humanitarian Minister

By Oduyemi Odumade

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committees on Constituency Outreach and Poverty Alleviation to invite the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, to give detailed policy documents adopted in allocation and distribution of funds for the conditional cash transfer.

This, the House said, is to ensure transparency and accountability which are fundamental principles of good governance.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance on the need to invite the Minister to brief the House on the formula adopted to distribute N1.1 trillion conditional cash transfers to 15 million households in the country.

“The House notes that the conditional cash transfer programme is an immediate intervention by the Federal Government to cushion the effect of the removal of petrol subsidy and other economic shocks for vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

“The house also notes that the conditional cash transfer is one of the 15 items in the memorandum of understanding between the Federal Government and organized labour on October 2nd 2023.

“The House said it was aware that 15 Million households will be receiving N25,000 each over a period of three months.

“The House is also aware that there has been a lot of unsatisfactory feedback from the way and manner palliatives to vulnerable Nigerians have been handled by some, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which has not in any way reduced hardship in the land.

“The House recalls the ugly scenario witnessed during the COVID-19 palliative distribution a few years ago, where items from international donors meant to cushion the effect of the pandemic were mismanaged.

“The House is also aware that the World Bank Country Representative, Shubham Chaudhuri, confirmed that cash transfers are widely applicable to reduce poverty.

“The house is 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.

“The house is 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.

The Lawmaker said the National Assembly members therefore deserved to be fully briefed and carried along in the implementation process.

He expressed worry that there is growing suspicion of the way and manner the programme will be implemented.

“The House is 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.

Edited By Grace Namiji