HURIWA Demands Proof, Calls FG’s Cash Transfer to 15m Nigerians a Scam

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described as “deceptive and unverifiable” the Federal Government’s claim that over 15 million poor and vulnerable households have benefited from its conditional cash transfer programme.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the declaration by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, lacked transparency and evidence.
“This claim by Mr. Edun is unsubstantiated, insulting, and grossly irresponsible,” Onwubiko said. “If 15 million households truly benefited, where are they? Where is the data, verification, or even one publicly accessible record of beneficiaries?”
HURIWA accused the Finance Ministry of usurping the duties of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, saying it was inappropriate for the Finance Minister to announce social welfare disbursements without verifiable data.
The group also faulted what it called “financial opacity” in budget implementation, alleging that most government agencies have yet to receive their 2025 capital allocations. It expressed concern that several federal workers were unpaid while “public officials flaunt unbudgeted spending.”
“Why is the Ministry of Finance performing social welfare functions that clearly belong to the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry? This confusion shows a lack of accountability and fiscal discipline,” HURIWA stated.
The association recalled that during the tenure of former Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, allocations to states and local governments were published in national dailies for public scrutiny. It urged the current administration to adopt the same transparency model.
HURIWA demanded that the Ministry of Finance publish the complete list of beneficiaries, including their local government areas, National Identification Numbers, and payment records, on its official website. It also called for a forensic audit of all cash transfer claims.
“Nigerians deserve proof, not propaganda,” the statement added. “If ₦330 billion was truly distributed, citizens have a right to know who received it and how.”
The rights group warned that without verifiable evidence, the government’s credibility on social welfare and economic policy would remain in doubt.
“Nigeria cannot continue to run on secrecy and deception,” HURIWA concluded. “The people are suffering while officials trade in falsehoods. Enough is enough.”