In a move that is sure to raise eyebrows and generate excitement, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has announced dates and names of beneficiaries under the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme will be made public. This is a significant step towards increased transparency and accountability in the distribution of government grants in Nigeria.
FG Grant Beneficiaries List Coming in January, Minister Reveals
In a move aiming for transparency and public trust, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has announced that the names of beneficiaries under the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme will be made public in January 2024.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Edu emphasized the government’s commitment to running a transparent system. She revealed plans to set up a website where anyone, anywhere in the world, can access the names of individuals benefiting from any federal government intervention program.
“We want to make it public and transparent so that the government can get the confidence of Nigerians,” Edu stated. “All of these technologies are being deployed. We have various systems we are working on. Some of them are owned by the government, others are private like remita, which we use to make these payments directly from the CBN TSA into the beneficiaries’ accounts. It does not have to go to any consultant’s account.”
The Presidential Conditional Grant Programme, launched in early December, targets alleviating the impact of the recent fuel subsidy removal. The Minister acknowledged the ongoing enrollment process, particularly focusing on reaching those at the lower level who may lack access to traditional financial structures like banks.
“We want those at the lower level especially those who don’t have financial structures like banks to apply,” Edu explained. “We will publish names of beneficiaries of the federal government grant in January so that Nigerians will know exactly who got what.”
This commitment to transparency comes amidst concerns about accountability and potential misuse of funds in government programs. By making the beneficiary list publicly available, the government hopes to address these concerns and build trust with the Nigerian people.
The January publication of the beneficiary list has the potential to be a significant step towards achieving this goal. It will allow Nigerians to scrutinize the program’s implementation and hold the government accountable for its effectiveness and fairness.
However, questions remain about the specific details of the website and how it will function. Concerns regarding data privacy and accessibility for those in remote areas also need to be addressed.
Overall, the Minister’s announcement represents a positive step towards increased transparency and accountability in the distribution of government grants. The success of this initiative will ultimately depend on the effective implementation of the planned website and the government’s commitment to ensuring everyone has access to the information it provides.