By Amby Uneze
In line with the policy of lifting 100 million vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty through its Conditional Cash Transfer scheme of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), the federal government has granted rural women in Imo state the sum of N474,890 million.
The government also registered 11,697 per cent in 10 out of the 27 local councils of the state.
Disclosing this in Owerri, the state capital recently, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, said the federal government has the intention of uplifting the lives of the beneficiaries.
The intervention is expected to enhance households’ consumption; lead to improvement in health and nutrition; improve school enrolment and attendance of their wards; enhance environmental sanitation and management; and enjoy sustainable livelihood.
The event which witnessed disbursement of N20, 000 each, to the selected poor rural women in the state, she said: “Already, the Federal Government has enrolled 11,697 under the Conditional Cash Transfer. Those beneficiaries have received a total of N474, 890 million since the inception in 10 Local Government Areas of Imo state.”
According to her, the aim also included, “aimed at uplifting the most vulnerable groups out of poverty; protecting and promoting the plight of the poor and vulnerable in the country as a strategy for enhancing social inclusion of tje most vulnerable in society.”
She said since the introduction in 2016, it has impacted and turned around the lives of the poor.
The Minister, hinted that it, “transfer and grant,” was one of the methods of quick empowerment of the poor in the country, by delivery cash timely to the households of the beneficiaries.
She said the policy is part of the social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda, including the realisation of the national aspiration of lifting100 million which must be achieved in 10 years’ time, appealing for cooperation, understanding and patient.
According to her, N20,000 would also be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
She noted that it would increase the standard of living of the people, she said: “It is expected to increase access to financial capacity required for economic activities,” she concluded.
