Group challenges opposition on FG’s pro-poor policies

By Umar Muhammad Puma

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has challenged opposition figures to name any previous Nigerian government that has done more than the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to empower the less privileged.
This it saied is because never had the masses across the country enjoyed so many social intervention benefits from the government at the centre.
BMO said this in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke.
It argued that contrary to claims from the opposition, millions of Nigerians living below the poverty threshold are gradually getting a new lease of life under Nigeria’s first real social welfare schemes.
“We make bold to say there is no government in modern Nigeria that has consciously and painstakingly formulated policies that have direct impact on the masses across the country.
“Initiatives like Farmer Moni, Market Moni and Trader Moni have touched the lives of no fewer than 1.1 million people across 36 states of the federation and the FCT.
“809,000 Nigerians alone have benefitted from Trader Moni loans ranging from N10,000 to N100,000 with a repayment window of six months,” it said.
BMO wondered which previous administration considered it fit to make petty traders have access to loans as high as N10,000 and on repayment pave way for them to receive N15,000 until they are able to get up to N100,000.
All these, according to the group, speak to the pro-people stance of President Buhari who has never left anyone in doubt about his love for the masses.
BMO said “We shouldn’t forget the Conditional Cash Transfer under which the most vulnerable in the society, as well as the poorest of the poor, have been receiving N5,000 monthly.
“This is one social safety net scheme that has had positive impact on the lives of over 209,000 beneficiaries in about 19 states at inception in 2015 but is now set to reach 503,055 households with the disbursement of the recovered $322 million Abacha loot.
“The National Home Grown School Feeding programme is the largest in all of Africa and is at present in 26 states.”
It added that many elements of the federal government’s social intervention programmes were time tested World Bank’s poverty alleviation projects that worked across the world.