… says President has called for review of $800m borrowed loan
By Akubulu Ngozi
The newly appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, has said that, the Federal Government, FG, Economic Relief Palliative would be distributed evenly across the country using the Global Positioning System Technology, GPS.
The Minister made the assertion during an interactive session with newsmen on Arise News Television, today.
According to her, the proliferation of technology has made it easy for people to be tracked in different locations, as such, tracking the palliative recipients would not be contentious and would increase transparency and accountability.
She said, ” As it concerns the palliative, we need to rework the logistics, in the past I have been exposed to programmes such as the Immunization Programmes across the State and in other places within the Country, where we have to take health care to people door step.
” I think the aspect of having people come together or come to a particular location to pick up their palliative is not really very helpful. It would be better to deliver this by improving on the logistics by delivering the palliatives to the people’s door step, that way, they can sign up for it and we are sure that these persons have received it.
“Of course technology can tell exactly where a person is where he is delivering delivering using the GPS and the rest of it to really identify if this has been delivered to these locations.”
Revealing strategies that have been incorporated to fine-tune the process, Dr. Betta said that other technological means would be deployed, as such, called for the collaboration with private sectors.
She revealed, “it is not just about the numbering from the GPS as there are many applications that can be used to identify where a person is and if a parcel has been delivered to a particular location.Of course we have so many logistics companies that make use of this applications, we can deploy them that is why we are calling for private sectors collaboration.”
However, commenting on the $800 million loan approved by the Senate on the 13th of July by President Tinubu, Dr. Betta revealed that the President has called for a clear review to ascertain what public sect would be qualified for the fund.
Recall that, President, Bola Tinubu, had requested the Senate’s consent earlier last Month following the previously approved $800 million loan by the Government of Former President, Muhammadu Buhari, to help scale up the National Social Safety Net Programme, to expand coverage of shock responsive safety net support among the poor and vulnerable Nigerians.
She revealed, “About the $800m, I think the first point is to know that the President has called for a clear review. After this we would give our recommendations to the President and then he can take the final decision together with the Federal Executive Council to know the people that would be receiving this funds for Nigerians to know.
“The main point is that it must be done in an accountable manner and it must be given to the right people who are truly poor and need to be subsidized and taken out of poverty.”