FG To Suspend Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme After Six Years

November 25, 2022
conditional cash transfer scheme

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has announced that after six years, it would be halting the conditional cash transfer scheme, which it claims two million Nigerians have benefited from since President Muhammadu Buhari launched it.

This was disclosed by the head of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Mr Ibraheem Adam, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the virtual International Financial Conference in Abuja on Thursday.

He noted that the programme, which is expected to end by December 31, 2022, enrolled beneficiaries from the rural areas across 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through community-based targeting since it started in 2016.

He added that the programme was so far able to reach 609 local governments, 6,272 wards, and 48,789 communities and reached a total of 1,940,325 beneficiaries in the National Beneficiary Register from inception to date.

“We came in at a good time in the history of Nigeria when the project we superintended has the mandate to reduce poverty, and as you may know, our level of poverty is around 60 per cent of the population.

“So, the programme actually came in to reduce poverty and enhance human capital development, and for us to do that, the tool we are using is the cash transfer, which is an extension of stipends to beneficiaries.

“For this to happen effectively and transparently, the federal government has introduced a digital payment system and this entails the creation of bank accounts for beneficiaries.

“We have about 2 million beneficiaries that have been credited with cash into their own personal NUBAN account created by the banks for the easy link to the ongoing international financial inclusion conference,” he said.

He noted that the FG brings them into groups where they do rotational savings and contributions, which metamorphose into cooperative societies, which they also own, and by doing that, they can also empower themselves.

“The beneficiaries are mentored to properly utilise the knowledge gained in the cause of the capacity building at their doorstep.

“The objective of the cash transfer is to basically improve household consumption, increase utilisation of health and nutrition services, and improve environmental sanitation and management, among others.”

Adedapo Adesanya

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

Leave a Reply

energy transition plan
Previous Story

FG Asserts Commitment to Energy Transition Plan

Paris Club refund
Next Story

Paris Club Refund: Governors Move to Legally Block $418m Payment

Latest from General