The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq on Friday revealed that the present administration has reduced the poverty index from 70 per cent to 43 per cent through the implementation of National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).
Farouq gave the hint during the flag-off of N20,000 one-off cash grant disbursement to 5,570 vulnerable groups in Bayelsa and Cross River States respectively.
The Minister who also launched the digitized payment for the Conditional Cash Transfer programme and onboarding of the 2nd Stream of Independent Monitors Programme in Cross River State observed that the poverty index of Nigeria before the President Buhari-led administration was at 70%.
“Since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration in 2015, when it inherited a national poverty incidence level averaging 70%, the Federal Government has paid more attention to generating solutions to address the plight of the poor and vulnerable in the country despite other economic challenges.
According to her, the high poverty index informed the administration’s decision to initiate the National Social Investment Programme as a strategy for poverty reduction and enhancing social inclusion among our people especially Women in rural areas.