The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded the publication of payment records and beneficiary details for the N33.75 billion cash transfer programme after audit queries were raised over the disbursement of funds to 3.29 million households.
The party said the controversy should not be treated merely as an administrative issue, arguing that Nigerians have a right to know whether the funds appropriated for poverty alleviation actually reached the intended beneficiaries.
In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC urged the Federal Government to make public the full register of beneficiaries, REMITA payment trails and other records that can independently establish the recipients, amounts and dates of payments.
Abdullahi said the concerns raised by the Auditor-General of the Federation underscored the need for stronger safeguards in the management of social intervention funds.
The party also called for full cooperation with the Auditor-General’s office in resolving outstanding queries and demanded that officials found to have obstructed the audit process be identified.
According to the ADC, accountability must precede the rollout of additional social protection initiatives, particularly following the Federal Government’s announcement of the $1 billion Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme.
The opposition party warned that launching new interventions without addressing existing gaps could undermine public confidence in government’s poverty reduction efforts.
It further argued that the need for effective social protection has become more urgent amid rising costs of food, transportation and other basic necessities.
The ADC said transparency in the cash transfer programme would help establish whether public funds were effectively deployed and prevent vulnerable Nigerians from being short-changed.
The party pledged to continue monitoring the implementation of government’s social intervention programmes and called on relevant agencies to urgently respond to the audit concerns.
