5,000 Indigent Citizens Benefit from FG’s Cash Transfer Scheme in Ekiti

5,000 Indigent Citizens Benefit from FG’s Cash Transfer Scheme in Ekiti

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

No fewer than 5,000 indigent citizens have benefited from the conditional cash transfer under the household uplifting programme initiated by the federal government to fight poverty and other attendant menaces in the state.

The beneficiaries, who were drawn from the 16 local government areas of the state, received between N20, 000 and N60,000, representing the up -to -date payment alongside the outstanding stipends.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the National Conditional Cash Transfer programme executed in partnership with the Ekiti State Government, the stte Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the programme was meant to alleviate the level of poverty among Nigerians.

Fayemi, who was represented by the Special Adviser, Office of Transformation and Delivery, Prof Bolaji Aluko, said: “This is parts of the programmes packaged by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to uplift the standard of living of the poor masses, and Ekiti people are benefitting from it owing to our recognition of our strong support for the federal government.

“We decided to give you this cash at this time when COVID-19 scourge is rearing its ugly head so that you can use the fund to support yourselves and prevent hunger, because the economy is presently facing challenges owing to lockdown in the state to stop the spread of the disease.

“A total of 5,000 indigent populace who had been captured and had been enlisted on a single register will benefit from the scheme. It is for the poorest of the poor and only those that deserve it will continue to enjoy it.

“Last Monday, our government began the distribution of food and other stimulus packages to 20,000 Ekiti indigent citizens to make our aged, widows and other vulnerable live happily well.

“We are also assuring the beneficiaries that we will put all necessary frameworks in place to prevent people from mismanaging a scheme meant for the poor and less-privileged.”

Also, the Special Adviser on Social Investment Programme to the governor, Mr. Victor Kolade, added that the state government had also reenacted what he called ‘Owo Arugbo’ to complement the social safety nets and palliatives being offered by the federal government.

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