Controversy engulfed the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer intervention in Zamfara State on Sunday as the programme was postponed as a result of alleged insecurity in the northern state.

The Federal Government also suspended palliatives distribution in the state until further notice.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development announced this in a statement issued in Abuja.

It said,

The ministry has postponed the flag-off ceremony of the Conditional Cash Transfer intervention in Zamfara State due to insecurity.

The flag-off of GEEP loans, fertiliser distribution and handing over of COVID-19 palliatives, all scheduled for the weekend in Zamfara, have been suspended till further notice.

But a report from the state said the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, actually avoided the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, who was in the state on Sunday.

Sadiya had gone to the Government House to pay a courtesy call on the governor before the commencement of the exercise.

However, neither the governor nor any of his aides was available to receive her and after waiting for several hours without being attended to, she returned to Abuja, using a waiting helicopter.

The minister’s security details prevented her from granting a press interview. Invited guests, especially would-be beneficiaries, returned home empty-handed.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.