Cash Transfer Program Effective In Alleviating Poverty- Kwara Governor

Kwara State governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has disclosed that cash transfer programmes for vulnerable people are effective tools for eradicating extreme poverty.

AbdulRazaq made this known on Friday in Ilorin, during the launch of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) socio-economic revitalisation support programme, which targets over 3,000 vulnerable families and small businesses for unconditional cash transfer.

The governor commended the federal government and UNDP for making impactful contributions to strengthen small scale businesses and bring comfort to the masses after the pandemic.

“Cash transfer to vulnerable people has proven to be a workable solution to extreme poverty,” NAN quoted the governor as saying.

“There are documented evidences of how putting money directly in the hands of the needy has helped to refocus the global efforts to empower people.

“It gives people the power to dictate the direction of their own future.

“In Kwara state, we have long domiciled the cash transfer policy of President Muhammadu Buhari. It works for us as it has worked for the federal government.

Through our social investment programmes and some other interventions, we have reduced the poverty rate from 30.2 percent to 20.4 percent.

“We have also helped young people to grow their businesses.

“Like our own Owo Arugbo, I am aware that the UNDP’s cash transfer has no strings attached.

“Regardless, I urge beneficiaries to use the money judiciously.

“This is the way to encourage organisations like the UNDP and the government to do more in the hope that the objective of spreading wealth will not be defeated”, he said.