Kaduna: Social interventions must reach the poor, underserved – Sani

From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has said that ongoing social interventions in some states do not reach the intended beneficiaries, who are the poor and vulnerable members of society.

The governor further stated that the country’s poverty index has been increasing despite several poverty alleviation programmes, suggesting flaws in the various social registers used by states.

Governor Uba Sani made these observations on Saturday when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, paid him a courtesy visit.

He advised the minister to verify the authenticity of the social registers, citing alarming figures from the National Bureau of Statistics on the nation’s poverty index.

According to him, many intervention programmes designed to assist the poor and underserved fail to reach rural areas due to financial exclusion.

“The first Executive Order that I signed as the Governor of Kaduna State is the Executive Order on Financial Inclusion. Right now, over 2.2 million people have opened bank accounts in Kaduna State.

“Our target is that everyone in Kaduna State should have a bank account so that the poor and vulnerable can benefit from the social interventions of both state and federal governments,” he added.

The governor noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration aims to create jobs and reduce poverty, stating, “That is why we are constructing three vocational and skills acquisition centres in Rigachikun, Zangon Kataf, and Soba towns.”

Governor Uba Sani also revealed that his administration is remodelling Panteka Market in Kaduna to become a major centre for skills acquisition, engaging over 38,000 artisans.

“Kaduna State Government is also collaborating with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to provide certification for graduates of Panteka Market,” he added.

Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs noted that Governor Uba Sani’s programmes and policies align seamlessly with those of the federal government.

Prof. Yilwatda commended the governor for his inclusive governance style, which he said has not only brought peace to Kaduna State but has also led to politicians from other parties defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).