FG flags off conditional cash transfer scheme in Bayelsa

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faruk, has flagged off the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme of the Social Investment Programme in Bayelsa State with payment of N5,000 monthly stipends to some most vulnerable persons in state.

The scheme which kicks off in three local government areas of the state, including Ekeremor, Nembe and Southern Ijaw, targets at vulnerable women with a view to reduce the level of poverty in the state.

• 130,764 people get FG’s Conditional Cash Transfer in Zamfara
• Vulnerable to benefit from FG’s cash transfer – Senator Laah

Represented by the National Programme Coordinator, Temitope Sinkaiye, the minister said that apart from the war against corruption, President Muhammadu Bihari, has prioritised social protection intervention to pull 100 million people out of poverty in the next 10 years.

She said: “As part of the effort to actualize this dream, the government established the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to consolidate on existing social safety net programmes at the Federal level.

“Under the coordination of National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), our ministry implements various social protection scheme such as the Conditional Cash Transfer, otherwise referred to as the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP).

“The Youths Empowerment and Social Support Operations (YESSO); and the Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP).

“The implementation of the Federal Government poverty alleviation initiatives programmes has helped Nigerians, particularly poor and vulnerable, to directly feel the impact of governance.

“The payment cycle could have started in September 2019 as at the time the beneficiaries were enrolled but did not, because of the issues bothering on the Payment Service Provider, but that it has been resolved” she said.

Bayelsa State governor Douye Diri represented by the Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs and Social Development, Faith Opuene, urged the beneficiaries to use the donation judiciously, stating that the state government will introduce other welfare programmes for vulnerable people.