Fresh allegations of financial misconduct have surfaced in the Arogbo axis of Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Ondo State, as agents of the Federal Government’s Household Uplifting Program (HUP) are accused of deducting part of the recent Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) disbursement meant for poor and vulnerable households.
According to findings by Arogbo-Ibe Voice Reporters, each beneficiary received a three-month cumulative payment of ₦75,000; being ₦25,000 per month; under the federal intervention initiative. However, HUP agents allegedly deducted ₦4,500 from each beneficiary, paying only ₦70,500 to recipients.
With 869 households reportedly captured in the Arogbo axis, the total amount allegedly embezzled by the field agents stands at a staggering ₦3,910,500.
“This is not just corruption; it is wickedness,” a youth leader in Arogbo lamented. “This money is meant to cushion the effect of poverty on our people. For agents to cut ₦4,500 from every beneficiary is a direct assault on the poor.”
Beneficiaries, many of whom are elderly women, widows, and low-income earners, expressed deep frustration over the unexplained deductions. While some beneficiaries said they were not given any reason for the deductions, others revealed that agents claimed the cuts were for “logistics and coordination.”
Worse still, Arogbo-Ibe Voice Reporters gathered that some of the HUP staff allegedly threatened beneficiaries, warning that they “may not see anything at all” if they raised complaints. The disbursement exercise, which took place at Community Primary School, Amapere, reportedly ended abruptly as officials left the venue at about 4:05 PM, leaving several unsettled and angry recipients behind.
The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme is a key component of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), designed to support the poorest of the poor with direct cash transfers aimed at reducing poverty and enhancing livelihood.
Outraged community members and stakeholders are now calling on the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), and anti-corruption agencies including the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately investigate the disbursement process and bring the perpetrators to justice.
As at the time of filing this report, all efforts to reach local HUP coordinators for clarification or comment proved abortive.
More updates to follow as the investigation unfolds.
