29,214 poor, vulnerable persons to benefit from FG’s cash transfer programme in Anambra

About 29,214 poor and vulnerable households in Anambra State are to benefit from the Federal Government COVID-19 Rapid Response Cash Transfer Programme.

Addressing Journalists, during a Stakeholder’s Sensitization meeting on Rapid Response Register (RRR) in Awka, over the weekend, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners, Mr Mark Okoye, said that the measure was to cushion the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic across the state.

Tribune Online gathered that the Sensitization Programme was organised by Anambra State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) in collaboration with the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office(NASSCO), Under Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Abuja.

Mr Okoye, who was represented by a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Dan Ezeanwu, disclosed that Anambra State Government had been partnering the Federal Govt in various social intervention programmes, noting that those programmes were aligned to the Federal Government’s agenda of lifting 100milion Nigerians out of poverty by 2025.

He announced that 9 local Government Areas had been selected to benefit from the RRR programme.

The benefiting LGAs are as follows: Anambra West, Ayamelum, Awka North, Dunukofia, Ekwusigo, Onitsha South, Ogbaru, Oyi and Orumba North.

“The RRR will be used to implement a cash transfer programme to a total of 29,214 poor, vulnerable households from urban and semi-urban wards of Anambra State for an initial period of six months,” he said.

“The selection is based on Scientific method of Satellite Remote Sensing Technology, Machine Learning, Algorithm and Big Data Analysis, which provided the basis for ranking the wards according to poverty index and availability of resources.

“Furthermore, this is followed by digital identification using the unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) link of TELCOMs facility by dialling a unique code to access the application portal: The identification exercise will be followed by enumeration and validation exercises,” Okoye added.

He explained that enumerators would meet applicants at their residents to take further information such as National Identification Numbers (NIN) and bank account details, adding that those registered would subsequently be paid through a digitalised payment system in their bank accounts.

The Commissioner said that for one to be eligible for the Federal Government’s cash transfer. ‘When you receive the SMS dial the code below to register; Ekwusigo -*969*21#, Anambra East, *969*22#, Onitsha South, *969*23#, Ogbaru, *969*24#, Oyi, *969*25#, Ayamelu, *969*26#, Awka North, *969*27#, Dunukofia, *969*28#, Orumba North, 969*29#.

Mr Okoye, while reeling the codes said not everybody in a local government would receive the SMS, warning that enough safety measures had been put in place by the government to avoid scam.

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