The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested five suspects for allegedly fraudulently changing the names of 1,000 beneficiaries of Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA) in Adamawa State.
Director General of the Agency, Mr Michael Zira confirmed to LEADERSHIP in Yola, that another 7,001 fake registration forms were detected.
Additionally, he said 1,560 supposed beneficiaries were blocked by the Agency due to dubious tendencies uncovered by the agency.
Zira said arrangements have been concluded for the disbursement of N5 billion to 100,000 beneficiaries in December 2025.
He added that the approval of the funds by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was in line with his administration’s policy of poverty reduction and wealth creation since inception.
Zira said that the government’s effort had reduced the poverty index from 74% to 60%, stressing that 50,000 people have benefited from financial support over the last six years of Fintiri’s administration, with 10,000 citizens empowered in the first round, and 40,000 beneficiaries supported in 2025 accordingly.
He maintained that the Agency, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has created a template for improved skills acquisition training for the young stars with a view to making them independent in their separate area of specialisation in courses including electrical engineering, Solar panel installation, fabrication of windows, tailoring, P.O.P making, among others.
The DG advised the youth and women to take advantage of the opportunity provided for them to change the fortune of their lives.
He noted that the new world order has to do with technical knowledge or skills, not certification of knowledge anymore.
