The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, expressed concerns on Monday that some politicians are attempting to influence the Cash Transfer Register.
These individuals are reportedly trying to manipulate the list of low-income citizens enrolled in the social register to benefit from the government’s conditional cash transfer program.
Yilwatda revealed that, while there are 19.8 million Nigerians listed in the social program, the government has only successfully verified the identities of 1.2 million so far.
He emphasized that the cash transfer program operates on strict conditions and cannot be swayed by political influence.
“Some people want us to allow governors or states to simply create and send their own lists. However, it’s a conditional transfer; there are criteria for qualifying,” the minister stated during a press briefing.
“We won’t be swayed by political pressure. Poverty is not tied to any political party, tribe, or even language. A poor person remains a poor person, regardless of these factors.”
Yilwatda further explained that the process will be fully digital this time, and civil society organizations (CSOs) will play an active role in verifying payments and ensuring transparency.
“Currently, we have 19.8 million people on the social register, but not all are validated. We’ve only confirmed 1.2 million individuals so far,” he said.
He added that it is essential to verify the entire register to identify those truly eligible for assistance, confirm their locations, and map their residences using GPS.
The minister also highlighted that poverty is measured using various social indicators such as access to water, education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, all of which will be taken into account when selecting beneficiaries.
The government recently announced plans to resume direct cash transfers to the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
