The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, says some politicians are trying to influence poor Nigerians who make the social register to enjoy the government’s conditional cash transfer.
The minister, said this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Monday, said some persons want his ministry to bend for political reasons but “unfortunately it’s a partnership between us and the international community – the World Bank is involved, CSOs (civil society organisations) are involved and it’s not just a ministry activity”.
He said, “Some people want us to bend and allow the governors or the states to just generate the list and send. It’s a conditional transfer; conditions are attached to qualifying to benefit from the social safety net.
“So, we will not bend to allowing any political affiliation or attachment to this conditional cash transfer. Poverty doesn’t know political party, poverty doesn’t know tribe, poverty doesn’t even understand the grammar we are blowing. A poor person is a poor person.”
The minister said he suspended cash transfers and that National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) are now compulsory for all digital transfers for audit and transparency purposes.
The minister said though 19.8 million poor Nigerians are captured on the nation’s social register to qualify for social safety funds, the government has validated only the identities of 1.2 people.
The humanitarian ministry has courted controversies since its establishment by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In October 2024, President Bola Tinubu appointed Yilwatda to replace Betta Edu who was suspended in January 2024 before her removal.
