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From Taiwo Ogunniyi, Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (Accord) has questioned the effectiveness of the Federal Government’s newly introduced ₦50,000 monthly cash assistance scheme for vulnerable Nigerians, insisting that the country needs sustainable economic reforms rather than temporary financial relief.
The Federal Government had announced the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), a presidential initiative designed to provide ₦50,000 monthly to millions of disadvantaged Nigerians to cushion the effects of rising living costs.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, who disclosed the initiative in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, said the intervention was introduced in response to global food inflation and the increasing cost of essential commodities.
Doro explained that the programme would be reviewed periodically in line with changes in the cost of living, while payments would be made through licensed digital financial service providers to ensure transparency and security.
He added that beneficiaries would receive text messages seeking their consent before the funds were transferred to their bank accounts or mobile wallets.
The minister warned Nigerians against fraudsters, stressing that no application, registration fee or payment through agents was required to access the intervention.
However, reacting to the initiative, Accordf Kwara State Organising Secretary, Mallam Yusuph Funsho Kabir, acknowledged the importance of supporting vulnerable citizens but argued that cash transfers alone could not address the structural problems responsible for widespread poverty and economic hardship.
Kabir noted that Nigerians continued to grapple with rising food prices, unemployment, insecurity, high transportation costs, expensive electricity and declining living standards, questioning whether the latest intervention would provide lasting relief.
“Is ₦50,000 the solution to the suffering of Nigerians, or another temporary political arrangement designed to win public sympathy ahead of another four years?” he asked.
He argued that rather than relying heavily on financial handouts, the Federal Government should prioritise sustainable job creation, agricultural development, affordable essential commodities, stable electricity, quality education, accessible healthcare and support for small businesses.
According to him, these measures would provide a stronger foundation for economic growth and enable Nigerians to become financially independent.
The Accord chieftain also called on the Federal Government to ensure transparency in the implementation of the scheme, particularly in the selection of beneficiaries, funding arrangements, payment schedules and monitoring mechanisms.
He warned against political interference in the process, insisting that the intervention must reach genuinely vulnerable Nigerians irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Accord is not against supporting vulnerable Nigerians. We are against a system that allows poverty to continue while presenting temporary handouts as a substitute for good governance,” Kabir said.
He maintained that democracy should be measured by improvements in citizens’ living conditions, access to economic opportunities and the government’s ability to deliver meaningful development.
While the Federal Government said the NERSI intervention would complement existing social protection programmes under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Accord Kwara urged Nigerians to demand more sustainable policies capable of addressing the underlying causes of poverty.
Kabir stressed that the country needed leadership committed to transforming economic hardship into prosperity, adding that Nigerians deserved decent jobs, affordable food, security, reliable electricity and responsible governance rather than repeated promises.
He urged the Federal Government to make the next four years a period of measurable economic improvement rather than another cycle of temporary interventions and unfulfilled expectations.
