By Danladi Ahmed
The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG has said that the disbursement of cash transfer to over nine million households is classic proof of President Bola Tinubu’s intentional pro-poor policy stance which does not need the prompting by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). President Tinubu has always prioritised improved living standards for vulnerable Nigerians.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Emeka Nwankpa and Dapo Okubanjo, it noted that the cash transfer under the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE-CT) Programme is targeted at benefitting 15 million households.
“We are aware that one of the key initiatives introduced by the President Bola Tinubu administration to tame multi-dimensional poverty in the land is the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE-CT), a programme backed by the World Bank to provide succour to vulnerable Nigerians.
“It is a social welfare scheme targeted at the poorest of the poor and designed to build on a similar initiative conceived by the preceding Muhammadu Buhari administration under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
“We acknowledge that after a slow start, the government is now inching closer to its target of reaching 15 million vulnerable households across the country, according to a recent disclosure by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, that 9,178,837 million households have been receiving direct cash transfer.
“For the avoidance of doubt, eligible households who have been cleared by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) are to receive N75,000 in three tranches, and going by the recent breakdown given by the minister, 9.1 million beneficiaries across Nigeria have received at least the first tranche of ₦25,000 while 7,203,579 beneficiaries have received the second tranche and 6,497,089 the third.
“While some people may choose to be dismissive of the initiative, it should be noted that it is not meant for everyone. It is a short-term palliative to reduce the burden on people on the lowest rung of the ladder in society.
“We are elated that the Minister, Dr Doro dubbed the intervention as a major step in the administration’s transition from a sheer haphazard relief measure to a coordinated, data-driven social protection system, something Nigeria has never had.
“We also acknowledge that the federal government is working on boosting several other initiatives under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP)
“So, in essence, the Tinubu administration does not need to be prodded by Organised Labour to live up to its responsibility of ensuring that the country has a robust social welfare scheme that Nigerians can be proud of,” it added.
The group also urged Nigerians to keep faith and trust in the President Tinubu administration’s readiness, sincerity and capacity to live up to its constitutional responsibility of promoting the welfare and well-being of the Nigerian people.
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