Payments to the poorest and most vulnerable households through the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme continued in parts of the country over the weekend, while similar payments will commence in more states across the country on Monday, the National Cash Transfer Office has disclosed.
A statement by the Communications Officer of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Henry Ayede, explained that the payments made on Saturday in Anambra, Katsina, Yobe and Nasarawa states among others, were in continuation of the bi-monthly payment of stipends to beneficiaries which has been ongoing since 2016.
Mr Ayede said on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari, each beneficiary among the poorest and most vulnerable households is paid N20,000 covering four months from January to April 2020 during the lockdown to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Communications Officer dismissed as false a statement by the Ohanaeze Youth Council, in which it accused the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of allocating benefits of the program sectionally by excluding the South East.
He emphasised that the program did not marginalise any group of people, or region in the country, adding that the ongoing roll-out is national in scope.
“No zones or groups of people are excluded from this programme. Whether from the North or the South. States in South East are either being paid or would be paid within the next one week. For instance, in the last three days, beneficiaries from several local governments in Anambra State have received payments,” he said.
As of today, we have paid 2,334 beneficiaries in Anambra State; payments will continue throughout next week. Anambra has a total of 8,105 beneficiaries who would be paid next week. Imo State state has 7,201 beneficiaries who would be paid soon.
“Imo, Taraba, Rivers, Plateau, Oyo, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Ekiti, Cross River, Benue and Bauchi States would begin to receive their payments next week.” the statement explained.
“After the President had instructed that payments to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians be made, the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, directed that the number of those benefitting from the programme should be expanded, and payments should commence immediately to the poor and vulnerable households.
In compliance, payments commenced earnestly in Jigawa, Nassarawa, Sokoto, Katsina, FCT, Yobe, and Anambra States. The rollout next week would cover 15 states across the country,” Mr Ayede stated.
