Kogi gov lauds FG over payment of N5, 000 to vulnerable Nigerians •10,700 benefit from scheme in Kwara

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8 years ago

Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has commended the Federal Government on the commencement of payment to the first batch of awardees for the N5,000 Conditional Cash Transfer programme intended for poor Nigerians.

The pilot stage of the social investment programme commenced last week in some states, including Kogi, in fulfillment of the current administration’s campaign promises, with some of the beneficiaries already acknowledging receipts of the payment.

In a statement through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Petra Akinti Onyegbule, Governor Bello lauded the social welfare programme, which was aimed at ameliorating the plight of millions of vulnerable Nigerians.

“The delivery of this promise by the Federal Government at a time many have dismissed it as the usual campaign rhetoric, is heartwarming.”

Also about 10,700 households are currently benefitting from the first phase of the Federal Government’s National Cash Transfer programme in Kwara State.

Under the scheme, 12 local government areas are participating in the phase, while the remaining four local government areas were being considered to benefit in the second phase.

The Head of Unit, Conditional Cash Transfer, Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aminah Yahya-Bagudu, said this in Ilorin, on Thursday, while speaking with journalists.

Hajia Yahya-Bagudu said the programme was part of the components designed by the Federal Government to tackle poverty in the country.

She disclosed that the beneficiaries had started receiving the payment of N5, 000 monthly from the Federal Government.

Hajia Yahya-Bagudu explained that the selection process was based on data collected for the World Bank supported Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO), where each community identified those considered as poor.

According to her, the process was transparent and devoid of any influence adding that the second phase of the programme would commence as soon the social registered is shared with her Unit for the payment of the five thousand naira monthly.

On current hitches in payment, Hajia Aminah-Yahya said the selected bank had engaged the services of a Consulting firm to decentralised its payment process to all beneficiaries across the state.