Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state, has observed that despite several alleviation programmes, the nation’s poverty index has been on the increase.
Sani made the observation on Saturday when Nentawe Yilwatda, minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Kaduna.
He said the fact that the poverty index keeps increasing suggests that “there is something wrong with the various social registers in the states.”
According to him, the ongoing social interventions in some states do not reach the intended beneficiaries who are the poor and vulnerable members of the society.
He noted that there is something wrong with the various social registers in the states.
The governor advised the minister to “check the authenticity of the social registers because the figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, highlighting the nation’s poverty index are scary.”
According to him, a lot of the intervention programmes designed to help the poor do not reach rural areas because they are financially excluded.
‘’The first Executive Order that I signed as the Governor of Kaduna State is the Executive Order on Financial Inclusion. “Right now, over 2.2 million people have opened bank accounts in Kaduna state.
‘’Our target is that everyone in Kaduna state should have a bank account so that the poor and vulnerable can benefit from the social interventions of both State and Federal Governments,’’ the governor said.
He noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is determined to create jobs and reduce the high incidence of poverty, adding that his administration in Kaduna state is constructing three vocational and skills acquisition centres in Rigachikun, Zangon Kataf and Soba towns.’’
Sani said further that his administration is remodelling the Panteka Market in Kaduna to become a major centre for skills acquisition by engaging over 38,000 artisans.
The governor said, “Kaduna State Government is also collaborating with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to provide certification for graduates of Panteka Market.”
Speaking earlier, the minister commended the governor for initiating programmes and policies that align seamlessly with that of the federal government.
He also lauded Sani for his inclusive style of governance, which has not only brought peace in Kaduna state but has also made politicians from other parties defecting to the All Progressives Congress(APC).
