The federal government has disbursed N20,000 cash grant to 7,786 vulnerable women and youths in Gombe and Adamawa states.
Speaking at the flag-off held in Gombe, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouq, said the grant was distributed under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme.
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She said each of 3,000 beneficiaries in Gombe would receive N20,000 for the programme being implemented in partnerships with the state government, specifically targeted at supporting some of the poorest and vulnerable citizens in Nigeria to address poverty.
The minister explained that the beneficiaries cut across all the 11 local government areas of the state and would consist of 70 per cent women beneficiaries, while the remaining 30 per cent would be for the youths.
She added that about 15 per cent of the total number of beneficiaries is specifically allocated to the segment of the population with special needs, including Persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens in the state.
Also speaking at the Banquet Hall of Adamawa State Government House in Yola, the minister said the grant would be disbursed to 4,786 beneficiaries across the 21 LGAs of the state.
She said the cash would increase the income and productive assets of target beneficiaries, especially during the global economic challenges.
“Using this grant, many of the beneficiaries will improve their productivity and their commercial activity, all of which will help in easing them out of poverty,” she said.