FG spent N50bn on 2m vulnerable Nigerians in 2022

The Federal Government said it had spent N50 billion on
vulnerable Nigerians under the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy
(NPRGS).

Also, the government disclosed that it would be spending
N250 billion for a similar programme in 2023.

In a statement on Thursday by Laolu Akande, Senior Special
Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, indicated that the
Agriculture for Food and Jobs Plan and other programmes embarked on in 2022 had
been achieved 100 per cent.

The statement emanated from the outcome of the NPRGS
Steering Committee meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on
Wednesday.

While presenting the implementation update of NPRGS, the
Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, said,
“Following the release of N50 billion, programmes that have achieved 100%
completion include the Agriculture for Food and Jobs Plan (AFJP) and
Construction of Rural Roads, among others.

“A total number of direct beneficiaries of the implemented
programmes currently stands at 1,818,782 vulnerable Nigerians, and a total of
9,527 Nigerians have also been directly employed through the implementation of
the programmes so far.”

Accordingly, the Committee approved the sum of N250 billion
for the execution of projects for the year 2023.

It stated that the next phase of the project’s execution
includes providing 100,000 homes for low-income earners, 1,200 solar street
lights for rural communities, and N9 billion in support funds for 1.6 million
vulnerable smallholder farmers.

Despite FG’s interventions, Nigeria’s poverty rate in 2022
has remained at 63 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.