FG rolling out unified poverty response system, says minister

The federal government says it is implementing a more coordinated and transparent poverty response system aimed at improving how support reaches vulnerable households across the country.

Speaking during an engagement with beneficiaries of the HOPE Conditional Cash Transfer (HOPE-CT) programme in Uyo, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, said the initiative is designed to strengthen accountability and ensure interventions deliver real impact at the grassroots.

According to him, the new approach focuses on proper coordination of poverty alleviation programmes, with an emphasis on tracking outcomes and validating policies through direct community engagement rather than relying solely on administrative planning.

“The support must reach the intended households and improve their livelihoods,” the minister said, noting that feedback from beneficiaries will help shape future policy decisions.

The HOPE-CT programme, a flagship component of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has so far reached about 9.47 million households nationwide. However, Doro acknowledged that awareness remains a challenge, with many Nigerians still unfamiliar with the initiative.

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He added that the government is working to deepen public awareness while ensuring that social intervention programmes are both transparent and measurable in impact.

Also speaking, Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno, represented by Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Emem Ibanga, commended the federal government’s efforts, describing the interventions as critical to lifting vulnerable populations and stimulating economic recovery.

Beneficiaries at the event echoed similar sentiments. Philomena Asuquo, from Uruan Local Government Area, said the cash transfer programme has helped ease the pressure of rising living costs, highlighting its role as a buffer against current economic hardship.

The government says the unified system is part of broader reforms aimed at improving efficiency in social protection programmes and ensuring that aid is both targeted and impactful.