Senator Ned Nwoko writes Tinubu to scrap Humanitarian ministry, discontinue palliatives & handouts to Nigerians

A lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, Senator Ned Nwoko, has criticised the Federal Government’s approach to alleviating economic hardship by distributing cash handouts and palliatives to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

Nwoko argued that the current approach by the Federal Government through the distribution of palliatives was not only flawed but also inadequate to address the economic hardship currently ravaging the country.

The federal lawmaker stated this in an open letter he wrote to President Bola Tinubu on Friday.

Nwoko described charitable handouts and palliative distribution as “temporary bandage on a deep and festering wound”, saying while the handouts might provide temporary relief, they do not address the root causes of poverty and economic inequality in the country.

According to him, giving poor and vulnerable Nigerians handouts is disrespect to the dignity of the people which treats them as dependents rather than as citizens with rights.

“The existing model, which relies heavily on charitable handouts and temporary relief measures, is not only inadequate but also fundamentally flawed. This approach is not only patronising but also demeaning, perpetuating a cycle of dependency.

“Substantial portions of allocated funds are often misappropriated or wasted, and the aid that does reach those in need is insufficient and quickly depleted on immediate necessities, rather than fostering long-term empowerment or self-sufficiency”, Nwoko said.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to scrap the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development and replace it with a National Social Security Agency to address the hardship confronting Nigerians.

Nwoko called for a rethink of the government’s strategy for alleviating poverty, declaring that the framework adopted by the ministry has not only failed in addressing poverty and economic hardship, but rather perpetuated the circle of dependency and poverty.

He suggested that a compulsory five percent frontline deduction from federal, state, and local governments’ monthly allocations be set aside for poverty alleviation and economic recovery.