Poverty Eradication: Only N50bn Out of Approved N400bn Expended By FG, States, Says Nasarawa Gov

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Only N50 billion out of the N400 billion approved in 2022 for the reduction of poverty and growth enhancement in the country had been expended by both the federal and state governments.

This was disclosed to newsmen yesterday, by Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and Co-chairman of the Steering Committee on National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, after a meeting of the committee chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja.

Sule, who spoke in company of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba and Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar, also said the project was a national project and not restricted to states.

The meeting of the Steering Committee on National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in June, 2021.

According to the governor, “in July 2022, we did the same steering committee being chaired by the Vice President sat down and reviewed a presentation by the Technical Working Group, which is chaired by the Minister of state budget and planning, as well as myself as the co-chair.

“So we presented the approval of the N400 billion and the distribution of how it will be spent. So today we just came to review the implementation, and the update of the spending so far and also approval for this year spending for the same committee. So that’s really what just happened.”

Commenting on how much had been disbursed and the level of implementation now that the present administration was winding down, the co-chairman said, “it’s not a governor thing but a national project where Mr. President, based on the advice, recommendation of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee and the office of the SGF make a recommendation for this particular committee to reform. So it’s a national thing is not for any particular state.

“Now, based on that, and the recommendation that was made, and for what we received from the chairman of the Technical Working Group, over N50 billion has been spent so far.

“So the performance so far is low is not yet where we expect to go but nearly every aspect of the 15 areas where the spending will be carried out. Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning as well, so every one of them has some kind of implementation, one after another.”