Senator Ned Nwoko has questioned the Federal Government’s strategy to alleviate economic hardship by delivering cash handouts and palliatives to Nigeria’s poor and vulnerable citizens.
Nwoko stated that the Federal Government’s existing method of distributing palliatives was not only incorrect but also insufficient to address the country’s current economic crisis.
The federal legislator revealed this in an open letter to President Bola Tinubu on Friday.
Nwoko referred to charitable handouts and palliative distribution as a “temporary bandage on a deep and festering wound,” claiming that while they provide temporary respite, they do not address the core reasons of poverty and economic disparity in the country.
According to Nwoko, giving poor and vulnerable Nigerians handouts is disrespectful to the dignity of the people, who treat them as dependents rather than as citizens with rights.
“The existing model, which relies heavily on charitable handouts and temporary relief measures, is not only inadequate but also fundamentally flawed. This approach is not only patronising but also demeaning, perpetuating a cycle of dependency.
“Substantial portions of allocated funds are often misappropriated or wasted, and the aid that does reach those in need is insufficient and quickly depleted on immediate necessities, rather than fostering long-term empowerment or self-sufficiency,” Nwoko said.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to abolish the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development and replace it with a National Social Security Agency to alleviate Nigerians’ hardship.
Nwoko advocated for a rethinking of the government’s poverty alleviation approach, claiming that the framework used by the ministry has not only failed to combat poverty and economic suffering but has instead perpetuated the cycle of dependency and poverty.
He proposed a mandatory five percent upfront reduction from federal, state, and municipal government monthly budgets for poverty alleviation and economic recovery.
He proposed a mandatory five percent upfront reduction from federal, state, and municipal government monthly budgets for poverty alleviation and economic recovery.
