Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection delivery through direct engagement with beneficiaries, transparency in programme implementation, and evidence-based policy making. This was contained in a statement signed by Janet McDickson Noah, Director, Information and Public Relations.
The Minister stated this during the HoPE CT Beneficiary and Stakeholder Engagement held at the Ahiajoku Convention Centre, Owerri, Imo State, where beneficiaries, government officials, traditional rulers, development partners, community representatives, and other stakeholders gathered to assess the impact of the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE CT) Programme in the State.
The engagement formed part of the Honourable Minister’s nationwide beneficiary interaction initiative designed to provide government with first-hand information on programme performance while creating a platform for beneficiaries to share their experiences directly with policymakers.
Speaking during the engagement, Dr. Doro emphasized that social protection programmes must be measured not only by figures and statistics but by the actual impact they create in the lives of vulnerable Nigerians.
According to the Minister, “Leadership must remain connected to impact. Reports and statistics are important, but there is no substitute for hearing directly from the people whose lives these interventions are designed to improve.”
He noted that Imo State has recorded significant participation under the HoPE CT Programme, with 278,727 households across the twenty-seven Local Government Areas benefiting from cash transfer support amounting to over ₦6.6 billion.
The Minister explained that the objective of the engagement was to understand the realities behind the statistics, evaluate programme outcomes from the perspective of beneficiaries, identify implementation challenges, and gather recommendations capable of informing future policy decisions and programme improvements.
Dr. Doro further reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection delivery through transparency, accountability, and direct beneficiary engagement. He emphasized that the engagement was designed to ensure that policy decisions remain informed by the experiences and realities of beneficiaries across communities.
The Honourable Minister also assured beneficiaries that concerns raised during the engagement would form part of ongoing programme reviews and policy considerations aimed at strengthening programme implementation and expanding impact.
He reiterated that the HoPE CT Programme remains entirely free and urged beneficiaries to report any form of misconduct, extortion, or irregularity through established grievance redress channels.
According to the Minister, “What we are building is not just a programme, but a system that supports people, strengthens resilience, and creates sustainable pathways out of poverty.”
The highpoint of the engagement was the beneficiary interaction session, during which beneficiaries engaged directly with the Honourable Minister and openly shared their experiences regarding the programme.
Participants narrated how the intervention had enabled them to pay school fees, purchase fertilizer and other agricultural inputs, strengthen farming activities, expand small businesses, improve household welfare, and address pressing family needs. Many beneficiaries described the programme as timely and impactful, while appealing for its continuation and expansion to reach more vulnerable households.
The beneficiaries expressed overwhelming appreciation to the Federal Government for the intervention and noted that the support received had contributed significantly to improving their livelihoods and economic stability.
In a remarkable display of gratitude, beneficiaries collectively presented locally produced palm oil to the Honourable Minister as a symbolic gift in recognition of the positive impact of the programme on their lives and communities. The gesture drew applause from participants and reflected the deep appreciation of beneficiaries for the Federal Government’s continued commitment to supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Honourable Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Imo State, Chief Kenneth Okafor, expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction for sustaining social protection interventions aimed at supporting vulnerable households across the country.
The Commissioner highlighted the positive impact of the HoPE CT Programme on thousands of households across Imo State, noting that the intervention had contributed to livelihood support, food security, household welfare, educational assistance, and grassroots economic development.
He further reaffirmed the commitment of the Imo State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON, to continued collaboration with the Federal Government in advancing social protection and poverty reduction initiatives across the State.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by stakeholders present at the engagement.
Speaking on behalf of Local Government Chairmen present at the event, Hon. Ibekaeme Friday Umunakwe, Chairman of Orsu Local Government Area and representative of the ALGON Chairman, Imo State Chapter, commended the Federal Government for the intervention and expressed appreciation for the impact of the programme on vulnerable households across communities.
He noted that many beneficiaries had experienced meaningful improvements in their livelihoods and appealed for the continuation and expansion of the programme to enable more vulnerable citizens benefit from government support.
The engagement concluded with renewed commitments from stakeholders to support the effective implementation of social protection programmes and strengthen collaboration towards achieving inclusive development and sustainable poverty reduction across Imo State and the country at large.
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