A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to strengthen and thoroughly evaluate the federal government’s social intervention programmes, warning that current efforts must go beyond budgetary allocations if they are to meaningfully cushion Nigerians against economic hardship.

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, the former lawmaker said existing interventions covering youth employment, skills development, cash transfers, school feeding and agriculture should be reviewed to ensure they deliver maximum impact. He argued that success should be measured not just by how much money is released but by tangible outcomes such as reduced poverty levels, job creation, improved productivity, stronger household purchasing power and visible improvements in living conditions.

Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council, insisted that the programmes needed clear targets, transparent beneficiary selection and strong monitoring systems with measurable performance indicators to curb leakages, duplication and abuse.

He stressed that public funds must produce identifiable benefits for ordinary Nigerians, and warned that the president’s efforts to fight poverty must not be allowed to be undermined by selfish individuals within the system.

While pushing for reforms, the APC chieftain commended Tinubu for allocating 462.66 billion naira in the 2026 Appropriation Act to the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

He nonetheless noted that Nigeria’s poverty situation remains far more severe than that of neighbouring Ghana, citing figures that put Ghana’s multidimensional poverty rate at 21.9 per cent as of the third quarter of 2025, compared with a projected poverty level of around 62 to 63 per cent for Nigeria in 2026.

He also called for improved workers’ allowances and welfare packages, saying better pay would boost purchasing power, stimulate local businesses, strengthen household incomes and help families meet basic needs.

With millions of Nigerians still living below the poverty line, he urged that the administration’s various interventions be repackaged to meet their intended targets more effectively.

Despite his criticisms, Oyintiloye expressed confidence in Tinubu’s capacity to turn the economy around, telling Nigerians the current hardship would soon become a thing of the past. He acknowledged that the economy remains difficult but maintained that the president is actively working on solutions, pointing to the removal of the fuel subsidy and recent monetary policy measures as steps already putting the country on the right path.

He appealed to Nigerians to continue supporting the administration and to keep faith in its long term plans for national development.