Former National Coordinator of the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Prof. Magnus Kpakol, has said the Federal Government’s $1bn social protection programme will not lift Nigerians out of poverty if it relies mainly on cash transfers.
Kpakol said the programme was a step in the right direction but stressed that its success should be measured by its ability to help beneficiaries create sustainable incomes and eventually become economically self-reliant.
Speaking in an interview on ARISE NEWS monitored by The News Chronicle, Kpakol said cash transfers should serve only as a safety net to prevent vulnerable Nigerians from falling deeper into poverty.
“You can give cash transfers to people, but that does not mean that they’re out of poverty,” he said.
According to him, the real test is whether beneficiaries can generate sustainable incomes and eventually reach a point where they can support others.
He also expressed concern over what he described as poor communication surrounding the programme, saying too many components appeared to have been lumped together in the announcement.
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Kpakol noted that the N48,000 cash transfer was helpful but insufficient to significantly address poverty.
He further called for greater clarity on the financing of the programme, noting that the World Bank funding was an IDA loan that would eventually have to be repaid.
He said the government should provide more details on how the programme would generate long-term economic benefits capable of supporting debt repayment.
