Poor Kebbi Residents Get N1.05bn from FG in Five Years

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has disclosed that over 76,804 poor and vulnerable households in Kebbi State received N1.05 billion under the Conditional Cash Transfer(CCT) programme from 2016 till date.

This was discussed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster and Social Management, Mrs Sadiya Umar-Farouq, during the flag-off of Special Cash Grant for Rural Women programme in Birnin Kebbi.

According to her, ”Kebbi State has received a total sum of N1,056,200,000.00 from the Federal Government Conditional cash transfer programme from inception till date, impacting the lives of 76,804 Poor and Vulnerable Households (PVHHs).

“Five local government areas are currently benefiting from the Federal Government CCT programme in Kebbi State. They are Jega, Gwandu, Bagudo, Shanga, and Dango/Wasagu LGA’s.

“I must note at this point, that the social register is being expanded to cater for more poor and vulnerable households in Kebbi State.”

She explained that the Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with the World Bank designed and developed a safety net programme for Nigeria under the platform of the National Social Safety Net Project (NASSP).

Mrs Umar-Farouq added the conditional cash transfer programme commenced in September 2016 with the aim of responding to deficiencies in capacity and lack of investment in human capital of poor and vulnerable households.

“The programme is designed to deliver timely and accessible cash transfers to beneficiary households with the aim of improving household consumption and an increase in the utilization of health and nutrition services.

”It is also aimed at improving school enrolment and attendance and environmental sanitation and management; and to encourage household financial and asset acquisition as well as engage beneficiaries to attain sustainable livelihood,” she said.

She said that the CCT programme provided targeted monthly based cash transfers of N5,000 to poor and vulnerable households, with the sole aim of graduating them out of poverty.

“The Special Cash Grant for Rural Women programme being flagged off today was introduced in 2020 by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as part of President Mohammadu Buhari’s social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda, including the realization of the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

“It is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural Nigeria. A grant of N20,000.00 will be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities. A total number of 4,200 beneficiaries are to benefit from the cash grant of 20,000 each to uplift the socio-economic status of the rural women in Kebbi State,” she said.

Mrs Umar-Farouq urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity to increase their income, enhance their food security, and contribute towards improving their living standard.

In his remarks, the Kebbi state Governor, Mr Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Babale Umar-Yauri, recalled that the minister visited the state in 2020 to commiserate with the victims of floods and distribute relief materials to the victims, adding that the minister promised to come back with different assistance to the people of the state.

“Coming to Kebbi today, is a fulfilment of the promise you made to our people and we appreciate you and thank you for that demonstration of good leadership and keeping the promise alive,” he said.

He said that the state government believed in rightfulness and good purpose of the social development programmes, and would impact positively on the lives of poor and vulnerable households in the state in particular and the country at large.

“We are particularly appreciative of these programmes, and on behalf of our people, we thank President Muhammadu Buhari, and the ministry for the laudable and wonderful initiatives for the poor and vulnerable households,” Mr Bagudu said.