STRENGTHENING SOCIAL SAFETY NETS IN NIGERIA -MINISTER

Social safety net  is part of the ministry of humanitarian affairs  to develop an objective to scale up - project for Nigeria to expand coverage of shock responsive safety net support among the poor and vulnerable and also strengthen the national safety net delivery system. 

During a live broadcast programme "The Morning Show" on Arise News, Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda,  minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty reduction disclosed in an interview that only one of the tasks stated in the ministries activities for the people’s betterment have been attended to when the funds have been readily provided by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the World Bank. 

The minister was quetioned as to why only the task of furniture is tagged as an ongoing project with over N320 million spent on only furniture,the activities stated are a lot to mention, but the amount apportioned to only furniture caught attention as furniture is not the most important when the needs of the people are arranged in a scale of preference. 

Professor Nentawe   while fielding questions in defense of the above claim, stated that over 99% of the funds apportioned to the ministry was given to the people. 
 
 “ There is no physical distribution of cash as the people think too much money is given to the ministry. Transfers will be made directly to the individuals in need, digital identification of the persons living in the houses to know those that are poor and in need of assistance”.He said 

Many Nigerians  say  the impact of the ministry is not felt hence, it should be scrapped out. 

The Minister  said digitalization is a method employed to know the citizens who need assistance as  some citizens apply for this help for their selfish desires and those who are in actual need, do not get help.This gives   knowledge of the proper demography of the poor. 

He explained that some vulnerable  and poor lack the skills to manage the resources given to them and need assistance to efficiently maximize the opportunities. 

Nentawe added that the ministry has introduced a financial literacy programme  to train beneficiaries  on how to utilize the N75,000 allocated, by creating cooperatives with the help of Integrated Development Planning(IDP’s) with 10,000 acres of land for the households that have been affected by floods and other natural disasters. 

And also with integration of  intentional work from the budget to connect the unemployed persons directly to the active space and private sector to reduce a huge  number of persons affected by poverty.