The Ondo State Government and the Federal Government have moved to validate beneficiaries of the N9.9 billion cash transfer scheme disbursed under the Household Prosperity Programme in the state.
Governor of Ondo State, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on Monday, stressed the need for stronger collaboration between federal and state authorities in implementing social intervention programmes, saying effective delivery depends on synergy between policymakers and grassroots structures.
Aiyedatiwa made the call while receiving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr Bernard M. Doro, who paid him a courtesy visit in Akure.
The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Household Prosperity and Cash Transfer Programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a major intervention aimed at supporting vulnerable households across the country.
He disclosed that the South-West region had received about N62 billion under the initiative, while Ondo State alone accounted for 396,671 beneficiary households spread across the first, second and third payment tranches.
Aiyedatiwa explained that due to the large scale of the programme, full household verification was not practical, noting that selected beneficiaries across the 18 local government areas were being engaged to provide feedback on implementation and impact.
He also highlighted challenges faced by some beneficiaries in accessing payments due to issues with National Identification Number (NIN) registration, directing relevant agencies to intensify efforts to resolve data gaps, especially among those on the social register.
The governor commended the minister for adopting a field-based assessment approach, saying direct engagement with beneficiaries would enhance accountability and improve service delivery in federal intervention programmes.
Earlier, the minister said his visit to Ondo State was part of a nationwide review of the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer Programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Doro disclosed that the programme had so far disbursed N75,000 in three tranches to the poorest households across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, reaching over nine million households nationwide.
He added that Ondo State alone had received about N9.9 billion through successive payment cycles covering the first, second and ongoing tranches.
The minister expressed concern over what he described as low public awareness of the programme despite its wide reach, stressing the need for stronger communication and transparency in social protection delivery.
He further explained that randomly selected beneficiaries across Ondo State would be engaged directly to confirm receipt of funds and provide feedback to guide future policy decisions.
According to him, the Federal Government is working on a redesigned social protection framework, noting that grassroots engagement remains key to ensuring future interventions reflect real needs.
Doro described the exercise as a data validation process aimed at improving accountability, targeting, and overall effectiveness of federal welfare programmes.
Discover more from Rootedscope Media
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
