DG PAWECA confirms arrest of staff over sharp practices in N2bn Fintiri Wallet disbursements
By Mohammed Ismail
The Director-General of the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA), Dr. Michael Zirra, has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest some agency staff allegedly involved in malpractices and manipulation of beneficiary lists under Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s flagship “Fintiri Business Wallet” empowerment scheme.
Dr. Zirra who disclosed this during an interview with newsmen in Yola on Tuesday spoke extensively on the agency’s progress, reforms, and challenges at ensuring transparency in the distribution of welfare funds and vocational training opportunities across Adamawa State.
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The DG said his decision followed discoveries that some officials had tampered with beneficiary forms by swapping and replacing genuine recipients’ names with those of non-qualified persons. The fraudulent acts, he said, led to the wrongful collection of funds meant for thousands of poor beneficiaries.
“I have arrested about five people this year on this issue. They thought it was business as usual. When we screened the forms, we found about 1,000 names that did not correspond with the original entries. We brought back all 40,000 forms, checked them one by one on the computer, and discovered the forgeries. Those responsible have been handed over to the DSS,” he said.
He added that some agents and staff had even collected money from unsuspecting applicants, promising to secure their inclusion in the program.
“We’ve had people selling forms for ₦30,000. Some even photocopied and scanned fake versions of the forms. I have written to the DSS and the police, gone on radio and television to warn the public: anyone demanding money for these forms should be reported immediately,” he said.
The Fintiri Business Wallet, an initiative introduced by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to empower small-scale traders, women, and youth entrepreneurs, has disbursed billions of naira directly to beneficiaries.
According to Zirra, over 40,000 people have received ₦50,000 each this year totaling ₦2 billion while another ₦5 billion has been earmarked to reach 100,000 new beneficiaries by December.
He noted that the initiative, in addition to World Bank-supported schemes, has contributed significantly to poverty reduction in the state, helping to lower the poverty rate from 74 percent to 60 percent within the last few years.
“We are expecting that after this ₦7 billion disbursement, poverty in Adamawa will drop further to 40 percent,” he said.
Dr. Zirra emphasized that the agency has also taken corrective steps to ensure that genuine beneficiaries who were wrongly removed from the system due to fraud will still receive their payments.
“We are compiling the names of those affected. Once confirmed in our database, they will be paid directly. Nobody will be asked to refill the forms,” he explained.
Addressing concerns about elite capture and favoritism in the distribution of forms, the DG outlined the meticulous procedure adopted in the last exercise to ensure fairness and accountability.
“We distributed forms to all the 4,104 polling units across the 21 local government areas. Each committee included the chairman, councillors, representatives from the Muslim Council, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the PDP, and the DSS, who also report directly to the governor,” he added.
He said every ward received 80 forms, while the local government chairmen and vice-chairmen were allocated limited quotas to prevent hoarding and political manipulation.
“We told the committees to go to the streets, meet people at their point of sales, the fish sellers, petty traders, cobblers, tailors, and women frying akara. Those are the people this program is meant for,” he noted.
The DG defended the credibility of the current distribution structure, insisting that with the involvement of multiple stakeholders and security oversight, it is difficult for corruption to thrive.
“If the DSS, Muslim Council, CAN, and councillors are all part of the process, then we have achieved near-perfect transparency,” he said.
Beyond cash transfers, Dr. Zirra said PAWECA has expanded its technical training programs aimed at tackling unemployment and dependency. He revealed that from October this year to next October, the agency will train 10,000 youths across ten technical centers in welding, electrical work, solar installation, POP design, tailoring, and phone repairs.
According to him, over 50,000 people have been trained since the inception of the program, although earlier success rates were low due to poor admission processes.
He explained that the new admission system now targets motivated candidates screened through community, religious, and legislative networks, ensuring that only genuinely interested participants are selected.
In a bid to align training with global standards, PAWECA recently secured certification from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to issue National Skills Qualification (NSQ) certificates a globally recognized credential that can enable graduates to work as certified technicians abroad.
“This is the same certificate used by European artisans. Our graduates can now compete internationally,” he said.
Dr. Zirra expressed optimism that Governor Fintiri’s vision for sustainable human capital development will continue to transform lives at the grassroots. He reaffirmed that his agency will remain vigilant against sabotage, stressing that integrity and accountability remain the cornerstone of PAWECA’s operations.
“His Excellency has said it many times. This program is the dividend of democracy for the poor. We will not allow a few dishonest people to corrupt a process meant to lift thousands out of poverty. Those caught will face the full wrath of the law,” he added.
