Over 226,760 poor and vulnerable households in Nasarawa State have so far benefited from the Federal Government’s Household Prosperity and Empowerment (HOPE) programme.
Mrs Rhoda Agbawu, the HOPE Programme Manager in the state, made this known during a one-day stakeholders’ engagement on the implementation of HOPE held on Saturday in Lafia. She explained that the meeting was designed to boost participation from stakeholders, assess their level of interest, and ensure a clear sustainability plan for the project.
“This meeting is being held to ensure inclusiveness in the implementation process. That is why we carefully selected ministries, departments, agencies, civil society groups and faith-based organisations. They are relevant to the sustainability of this programme. We will not allow all the efforts of the federal and state governments to go to waste. We already have Nasarawa State Investments Programme Agency, so rolling the programme into the state institution will not be a problem,” Agbawu stated.
She further applauded President Bola Tinubu for initiating the HOPE programme and praised Governor Abdullahi Sule for what she described as his compassionate heart towards the poor and vulnerable in the state.
Also speaking, the Nasarawa State Investment Agency (NSSIA) and HOPE Focal Person said the programme was targeted at reaching 15 million poor and vulnerable households nationwide through direct cash transfers. He disclosed that more than two million households have already benefited across the country, with more than N300 billion spent so far.
According to him, Nasarawa State, through the State Cash Transfer Unit, has channelled millions of naira to support thousands of households. He said the programme was helping to stabilise families that once faced severe daily struggles. “Mothers are better able to feed and care for their children, while households have access to steady support, and this brings dignity and hope for a brighter future,” he said.
He further explained that Governor Sule had ensured the initiative was domesticated to reach more citizens. He said that since 2021, more than 10,000 vulnerable households across the 13 local government areas of Nasarawa had been empowered through the state’s conditional cash transfer.
Mrs Hauwa Jugbo, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, represented by Larai Tsaku, thanked President Tinubu and Governor Sule for their commitment, adding that the programme had renewed the hope of the vulnerable.
Mr Samson Osuo, who represented the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the event, lauded the government for the initiative but appealed for more vulnerable people to be included in the scheme.