The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has rejected the explanation offered by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, over the Federal Government’s claim that more than N600 billion was distributed to over 10 million vulnerable Nigerians through its conditional cash transfer programme.

HURIWA said the explanation that many of the alleged beneficiaries do not own mobile phones, watch television or use social media was inadequate and did not address the fundamental questions surrounding the reported expenditure.

According to the association, the APC chairman’s political explanation cannot substitute for documentary evidence.
“The central issue is not whether poor Nigerians have access to smartphones or social media.

The question is simple: Where are the records showing that more than 10 million households actually received the reported N600 billion?” HURIWA asked.

The association, through a statement signed by its national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, therefore demanded that the Federal Government publish a comprehensive and independently verifiable breakdown of the programme, including the number of beneficiaries in each state and local government, the criteria used for their selection, the amounts paid, dates of payment and channels through which the funds were transferred.

HURIWA said it was particularly concerned about what it described as conflicting accounts emerging from different parts of the country.

While officials in some states have confirmed beneficiaries of various cash-transfer programmes, the association said investigations had also produced accounts from states where residents, and even some government officials, claimed they could not identify beneficiaries or establish clear records of the reported payments.
“This contradiction cannot simply be wished away,” the group said.

HURIWA urged the Federal Government to clearly distinguish between the different social intervention programmes operated under successive administrations and provide Nigerians with a consolidated account of what was actually disbursed under the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme.

The association also questioned the government’s reference to the alleged lack of access to mobile phones and social media among beneficiaries, arguing that the cash-transfer programme reportedly relies on identifiable beneficiary databases, bank accounts, National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) verification, as well as electronic payment channels.

“If these systems were used, then there should be an auditable trail,” HURIWA said.

The association challenged the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the National Cash Transfer Office, relevant state agencies and other institutions involved in the programme to provide detailed information on the reported N600 billion expenditure.

HURIWA said the government should disclose how many households were actually paid, how much each household received, the number of beneficiaries captured in each state and local government, the source and composition of the beneficiary register, how payments were verified and what independent mechanisms were used to prevent duplication, diversion and fraudulent claims.

The association stressed that the questions were legitimate accountability concerns involving public funds and should not be dismissed as political attacks.

HURIWA clarified that it was not alleging that every beneficiary reported by the government was fictitious. However, it said public expenditure on such a large scale required government to provide evidence capable of independent verification.

It consequently called for the publication of an anonymised beneficiary database, payment records and a state-by-state expenditure breakdown, with sensitive personal information adequately protected.

HURIWA also urged the National Assembly and relevant anti-corruption and public accountability institutions to examine the reported expenditure and establish whether the amount claimed by the government corresponds with verifiable payments to legitimate beneficiaries.

“Poverty cannot be used as a shield against transparency,” the association said.

“The poorest Nigerians deserve social protection, but they also deserve a government whose intervention programmes can be independently accounted for.”

HURIWA urged the Federal Government to provide Nigerians with the documentary evidence behind the N600 billion cash-transfer claim.