FG, States spent N50bn out of N400bn approved for poverty reduction – Sule

The Steering Committee on National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, Wednesday said that out of the N400 billion approved by President Muhammadu Buhari for the committee to reduce poverty and enhance growth in the country about N50 billion has been spent.

The co-chairman of the committee and governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule disclosed this while speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Recall that the Steering Committee on National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, was inaugurated by President Buhari in June 2021.

Governor Sule said, “in July 2022, we did the same steering committee being chaired by the Vice President, we sat down and reviewed a presentation by the Technical Working Group, which is chaired by the Minister of state budget and planning, as well as myself as the co-chair.

“So we presented the approval of the 400 billion naira and how it will be spent. So today we just came to review the implementation, and the update of the spending so far and also approval for this year’s spending for the same committee. So that’s really what just happened.”

On how much disbursed and the level of implementation as the administration is winding down, the co-chairman said, it’s not a governor thing but a national project where Mr. President, based on the advice, recommendation of the Presidential Economic Advisory Committee and the office of the SGF make a recommendation for this particular committee to reform.

He said, “So it’s a national thing, it is not for any particular state. Now, based on that, and the recommendation that was made, and for what we received from the chairman of the Technical Working Group, over 50 billion naira has been spent so far.

“So the performance so far is low, it is not yet where we expect to go but nearly every aspect of the 15 areas where the spending will be carried out. Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning as well, so every one of them has some kind of implementation, one after another.”