396,671 Households Benefited from FG Cash Transfer – Ondo Govt

The Ondo State Government has disclosed that no fewer than 396,671 households in the state have benefited from the Federal Government’s cash transfer programme implemented under the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Programme (HoPE-CT).

In a statement obtained by TVC News on Monday, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa disclosed this while receiving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, during a courtesy visit.

According to a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa said the intervention formed part of a broader social investment scheme that had impacted several states across the country under the President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda.

The statement read, “The governor disclosed that the South-West region had benefited about N62 billion under the scheme, adding that Ondo State alone had recorded 396,671 beneficiary households across the first, second and third tranches.

“According to him, the scale of the programme made targeted engagement necessary rather than full household verification, noting that selected beneficiaries drawn from the 18 local government areas were being engaged to provide firsthand feedback on implementation and impact.

“Governor Aiyedatiwa also drew attention to challenges faced by some beneficiaries over National Identification Number (NIN) registration, directing relevant officials to intensify efforts in reaching affected persons, particularly those on the social register, to ensure proper data updates for seamless payment.”

Dr Doro, while appearing on TVC News’ Politics on Sunday, disclosed that no fewer than nine million Nigerian households have already benefitted from the HoPE-CT initiative, as efforts intensify to reach a target of 15 million households nationwide.

The Minister said the intervention is aimed at cushioning the impact of current economic realities on vulnerable citizens.

According to the minister, the programme is being implemented in phases, beginning with what he described as “shock-responsive transfers” designed to provide immediate relief to struggling households. He noted that the government is not only focused on disbursement but also on ensuring transparency and long-term impact.

Aiyedatiwa commended the minister for adopting a field-based approach to programme assessment, saying direct engagement with beneficiaries would strengthen accountability and improve service delivery under federal intervention schemes.

In his remarks, Mr Doro said his visit to Ondo State formed part of a nationwide review of the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer Programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He explained that the programme had so far delivered N75,000 in three tranches to the poorest households across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with over nine million households benefiting nationwide.

Doro disclosed that Ondo State alone had received about N9.9 billion under the intervention through successive payment cycles covering the first, second and ongoing tranches.

He, however, expressed concern over what he described as low awareness of the programme among citizens despite its wide coverage, stressing the need for improved communication and transparency in social protection delivery.

The minister added that beneficiaries randomly selected across Ondo State would be engaged directly to confirm receipt of funds and provide feedback to guide future policy adjustments in the sector.

According to him, the Federal Government is already working on a redesigned social protection framework, noting that grassroots engagement remains critical to ensuring that future interventions reflect actual needs and realities.

Doro described the exercise as a data validation process aimed at strengthening accountability, improving targeting and enhancing the effectiveness of federal welfare programmes nationwide.

Those present at the meeting included the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; Commissioner for Water Resources, Public Sanitation and Hygiene, Elder Ayodele Akande; Special Adviser on Public and Intergovernmental Relations, Princess Kikelomo Ikuomola; Director-General, OSRC Media Group, Mr Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson.