Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, on Monday disclosed that Ondo State has so far received approximately ₦9.9 billion from the Federal Government’s cash transfer scheme, as he visited Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Akure.
Doro said the disbursement was part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to cushion the effects of economic hardship on vulnerable Nigerians, noting that the intervention had reached millions of households across the country.
According to him, “Ondo State alone has received about ₦9.9 billion under this intervention through successive payment cycles covering the first, second and the ongoing tranches.”
He explained that the programme, implemented under the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer initiative, was designed to provide direct financial support to the poorest households nationwide.
“The programme has so far delivered ₦75,000 in three tranches to vulnerable households across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with over nine million households benefiting nationwide,” Doro stated.
The minister, however, expressed concern over what he described as low public awareness of the initiative despite its wide reach.
“It is worrisome that despite the scale of this programme, awareness remains relatively low. We must strengthen communication and ensure that citizens understand and access these interventions meant for them,” he said.
Doro further disclosed that the Federal Government was embarking on a nationwide review and validation exercise to assess the effectiveness of the scheme and improve its delivery.
“We are engaging randomly selected beneficiaries to confirm receipt of funds and provide feedback. This is critical to ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement of the programme,” he added.
He noted that the exercise would also help the government refine its social protection framework to better align with the needs of citizens.
“This is not just an audit; it is a data-driven validation process aimed at strengthening accountability, improving targeting, and enhancing the overall impact of our welfare programmes,” Doro explained.
In his remarks, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said no fewer than 396,671 households in Ondo State had benefited from the programme across its various phases.
“The intervention has made significant impact in Ondo State, with 396,671 households benefiting across the first, second and third tranches,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa added that the programme formed part of broader social investment efforts that had positively impacted several states, particularly in the South-West region.
“The South-West region has benefited about ₦62 billion under the scheme, and Ondo State remains a key beneficiary given the scale of implementation across our 18 local government areas,” he stated.
The governor explained that due to the wide coverage of the programme, targeted engagement had been adopted instead of full-scale household verification.
“Given the scale, it is more practical to engage selected beneficiaries for firsthand feedback on the implementation and impact of the programme,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa also highlighted challenges faced by some beneficiaries, particularly with National Identification Number (NIN) registration.
“Some of our people are experiencing difficulties with NIN registration, which is affecting seamless payment. We have directed relevant officials to intensify efforts in reaching such individuals, especially those on the social register,” he added.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to supporting Federal Government initiatives aimed at poverty reduction and social welfare.
