Tackling Poverty in Kwara through Social Intervention Schemes

For most nations, one of the obstacles to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals is poverty. For the State of Harmony called Kwara, its government has designed a social framework and intervention scheme that would go a long way to exit the state out of poverty, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, reports

Poverty has remained one of the major obstacles to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in some African countries of the world including Nigeria. The ugly development has pushed many people into beggars which hitherto has affected the standards of living of the populace in the country.

Even before COVID-19, baseline projections suggested that six per cent of the global population would still be living in extreme poverty in 2030, missing the target of ending poverty unless pragamatic approach is not tailored to reduce the trend.

The fallout from the pandemic threatens to push over 70 million people into extreme poverty. One out of five children live in extreme poverty, and the negative effects of poverty and deprivation in the early years have ramifications that can last a lifetime.

In 2016, for instance, 55 per cent of the world’s population – about 4 billion people – did not benefit from any form of social protection and the commitment of the SDGs to end poverty in all its forms is the first of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

However, based on these facts, various states in Nigeria including the State of Harmony called Kwara has designed a social framework and interventions that would go a long way to exit the state out of poverty among the residents of the state.

Upon assumption of office on May 2019, the present government led by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq set out series of poverty interventions that would change the lives of the people for better so as to meet the world target of SDGs at wiping out poverty among the residents of the state by 2030.

In doing this, the state government has embarked on series of empowerment aimed at curtailing the spread of poverty as a way of enhancing the socio well being of the rural populace.

These social interventions cut across the youths, women and less privileged people in the society so as to add value to the socio-economic development of the populace.

Recently, the state government took another giant stride at ensuring that poverty is curtailed in the State of Harmony by empowering market women in their various businesses so as to change their lives for better through the provision of non-interest loans to them as a way of assisting them to boost their businesses in the state.

In the event, over 90 per cent of rural market women benefited from this gesture across the state that saw over 30, 000 market women to have access to these non-interest loans.

The programme tagged “Owo Isowo Non- interest Loan” was meant to boost the economic activities of the rural women across the 16 local government councils areas of the state and to reduce poverty among the teeming rural residents of the state.

Speaking at the disbursement of the loans to the affected beneficiaries in Ilorin, the state Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said the flagged off the disbursement of non-interest loans to another round of 30,000 beneficiaries of the social investment programme — brought the tally to 60,000 since the scheme kicked off last year.

He said, “Between 2020 and now, we have disbursed soft loans to 30,000 beneficiaries. Today’s event marks the commencement of a fresh disbursement of the loans to another set of 30,000 beneficiaries across Kwara State.

“This initiative attests to the administration’s policy of gender inclusion, women empowerment, and poverty alleviation. Beneficiaries of Owo Isowo and Owo Arugbo have been 90 per cent women.”

The governor explained that the scheme, which comes in four categories, is designed to fight extreme poverty and stimulate small businesses by providing beneficiaries with interest-free loans.

AbdulRazaq said the Owo Arugbo component — which has some 10,000 beneficiaries across the state —seeks to support the elderly and the weak in a way that neither threatens their lives nor degrades their human dignity as senior citizens.

“The (whole of the) programmes seek to lift people from extreme poverty. KWASSIP comes in four components, including Owo Isowo and Owo Arugbo.

“Owo Arugbo supports our vulnerable elders in a dignified way. We have made sure that these elders do not have to lose their lives or human dignity before accessing this support from the government. That is one of those things that stand us apart from the dark era that Kwara has exited,.

“A signature programme of KWASSIP is the Trader Moni, popularly known as Owo Isowo. It gives non-interest loans to beneficiaries to invest in petty business while also improving their capacity to create wealth for themselves. We borrowed this fine initiative from Mr. President. This has helped poor families to put food on their table.”

AbdulRazaq implored the beneficiaries of Owo Isowo to make judicious use of the support and ensure they pay back the money with a view to providing incremental loans for those who pay back to the tune of N50,000.

He assured the people that the administration will continue to support the downtrodden, poor and vulnerable with opportunities, financial support and capacity building programmes.

Acting General Manager Kwara State Social Investment Programme Mohammed Brimah, for his part, said the Wednesday’s disbursements for 13,000 were the highest in a day since the programme started.

“We are here today to witness a historic event. I call it historic because firstly it has never happened in the history of Kwara State. Since the inception of the Kwara State Social Investment Programmes, we have disbursed loans to a total of about 30,000 beneficiaries but the most numbers of beneficiaries we have done in a day is about a thousand beneficiaries.

“The closest to this type of activation anywhere else in Nigeria was the Federal Government’s TraderMoni Activation of about 5,000 petty traders in Kaduna. Therefore, this is also the first time this magnitude of activation will be attempted anywhere in Nigeria till date,” Brimah added.

He added that the inclusion of BVN registration and validation for beneficiaries of Kwara State’s Owo Isowo programme were not in the initial national social investment programme design of tradermoni.

“This (invention by the Kwara State Government) is now being adopted by the Federal Government,” Brimah said.

Brimah explained that the disbursement under KWASSIP are for known beneficiaries captured and screened by the scheme unlike the controversial N2billion SME loan secured by the immediate past administration without any form of accountability or transparency.

Iyaloja-General of Kwara and Babaloja-General of Kwara State, Hajia Sidikat Akaje and Alhaji AbdulRahman Saad, respectively, commended AbdulRazaq for his various interventions at making life meaningful to every segment of the society.

“We are very happy with changes that His Excellency has brought to the lives of marketers in Kwara State,” Akaje added.

The activation programme was held at the Kwara State Stadium Complex in Ilorin.

Moreover, prior to this disbursement of non-interest loans to the rural women in the state, the state government has also empowered hundreds of young people in their various businesses of non-interest loans.

In the programme, the winners got between N250,000 and N3million to start or strengthen their businesses after some rigorous, private sector-led screening processes that began with at least 7,202 applicants.

Amounts awarded depended on the scale and viability of their business proposals. The programme was by the state Social Investment Programme office in conjunction with Fidelity Bank.

Among the young entrepreneurs that benefited from the programme include Mr. Umar Faruk (Rice processing); Oluwatosin Adedoyin (Fish smoking); Courage Balogun (Waste evacuation); Jubril Bello (Plastic waste); and Mutolib ISSA (Locust beans) and presented the best five pitches which won N3million interest-free loan apiece.

Others whose business pitches came next were Femi Olanrewaju (N2.5m for his fish Pond); Alabi Michael (N1m, Cashew); Akpem Micheal (N1m, UBER); Nasir Ajala (N1m, Agro farm); and Yusuf Mohammed (N1m, Rice processing).

The loans were awarded under Kwapreneurs, a state government’s entrepreneurial platform designed to support initiatives of people not more than 35 years of age with seed funds.

The government however said that, the scheme was designed to serve the best of young people below 35 years.

The governor who spoke at the event of the presentation of the cheques to the beneficiaries at Ilorin sports stadium said that, “Kwapreneurs is a revolution and the essence is to ensure that public funds are allocated to serve the best interest of the people, especially the young people below 35 years who have been underserved for many years.

“This is in line with our commitment to promote innovation, industry and enterprise,” .

AbdulRazaq commended the youngsters for their brilliant ideas and their courage to have their pitches assessed by an independent panel of judges, assuring them of continuous government’s support and mentorship as their businesses grow.

“We made sure this was not business as usual. It was fair, open, thorough, and nonpartisan. A total of 170 businesses out of 7, 202 applicants have emerged from a rigorous screening process, which included online applications, verification of businesses/ideas and physical interviews (pitching).

“It is an unprecedented experience to see our young people pitching for funds for businesses. This was not the case before. But I am glad to note that our administration has succeeded in encouraging enterprise and dignity by introducing Kwaprenuers.

“This initiative aligns with the global demands for sustainable youths engagement and empowerment to widen the economic base of the state.

“I do not doubt that this crop of young people will succeed with the arrays of training they have undergone on business management, growth and development, strategies and sustainability among others and ultimately become employers of labour to drive improved revenue and economic development of the state.

“We appreciate Fidelity Bank and Wootlab Innovations for their support every step of the way. Our plan remains to build on the success of the first phase, thereby promoting commerce and trading, as part of our grand strategy on youths engagements and inclusive growth.

“However, its fundamentals are dictated by the global economic realities, revenue projections, and the sincerity of the beneficiaries to repay the non-interest loans as and when due.

“We urge our young people to use the funds judiciously and repay the loans for others to benefit from the scheme. “Our commitment to prudent management of public resources remains unshaken.

“We will at all time prioritise the welfare of the people who have entrusted us with their mandate, while every segment of our society is accorded their right and privileges. I congratulate all the successful businesses and wish them the best.”

Following this giant stride in the poverty alleviation of the people in the state, the state government has led other APC controlled ruling states in the country in the war against poverty and has earned the state a great honour in the quest to reduce poverty and ensured the state government meets the world SDGs goals in the country.

In a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, he said the war against poverty has made the state to get the national applause as it again emerged the state with the highest number of points in the September edition of the _Progressive Strides_ , the monthly bulletin tracking the performance of the 21 APC States in the country.

He said that, “Kwara ticked 26 points to top the table, followed by Lagos (21) and Jigawa and Kebbi which had 16 strides apiece for the month under review. The entries for the edition witnessed more improvements as regards developmental strides collated from the (Progressive Governors’) Forum States in 2021”.

Ajakaye stated further that’, the letter of this commendation was released by Mr. Aliyu, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, Director General of the Forum, wrote in the preface to the 63rd edition of the report.

The letter read, “In general, there is an all-round increase in the pattern of initiatives introduced by the states with Kwara State recording most initiatives for this month having twenty six (26) development strides.

“These cut across economic development, education, science and technology, health and nutrition, agriculture and rural development, infrastructure, security and sensitisation, empowerment and innovation, environment and hygiene, transportation and finally sports and youths development.

“Lagos State follows with 21 strides while Jigawa and Kebbi trail with 16 each. Gombe and Kaduna recorded 15 strides each; Nasarawa and Ogun 14 each; Ekiti and Niger 13 each; Kano and Katsina 10 each; while Ebonyi got 9 strides. Kogi recorded 8 strides; Cross River, Osun and Yobe got six 6 each, as Borno and Ondo had four each. Finally, 3 strides were recorded in Imo and Zamfara States each. Kwara had repeatedly topped the table of the Forum’s Strides since it was introduced”.

Some of the residents and beneficiaries who spoke with THISDAY in Ilorin on the development lauded the present administration’s initiative of curtailing poverty.

They said the government should endeavour not to relent in the efforts of curtailing poverty so as to change the lives of the society for better and boost the socio-economic development of the state.

They also opined further that, if this poverty alleviation is continued, the social vices ravaging the social life of the people will be reduced and there will be a greater socio well being of the rural populace.

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These social interventions cut across the youth, women and less privileged people in the society so as to add value to the socio-economic development of the populace

caption- Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AvdulRazaq presents cheque to one of the beneficiaries of the 30,000 beneficiaries of Owo-Isowo non interest loan at Ilorin Sports Stadium, Ilorin recently