By Chimezie Godfrey
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation will from next month start payment of twenty five thousand Naira grants to the benefiting members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners captured in the expanded National Social Register of the Conditional Cash Transfer,(CCT) Scheme.
Minister For Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, announced this Wednesday when she met with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress,NLC led by its President,Joe Ajaero at Labour House, Abuja.
The Minister explained that the decision to include vulnerable pensioners in the CCT scheme was President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to labour leaders which he will deliver on.
Edu told the NLC that “the President mentioned very clearly that vulnerable pensioners should be immediately captured on the National social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion and this was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed 25000 Naira for 15million household for three months”
She appealed to the NLC to help fast-track the process of collating Data of would-be vulnerable pensioners beneficiaries so that they can start receiving CCT.
“I want us to fast-track this. If we can get this data and information within two weeks, we are sure that you will be beneficiaries immediately and you can start earning from next month which is November, that’s the main reason why I’m here”, Dr. Edu said.
She commended Ajaero for being a team player, saying the task of moving Nigeria forward was a collective one and urged him to continue to have faith in the federal government under President Tinubu.
Responding, Ajaero expressed delight at the various poverty alleviation schemes rolled out by the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry and the passion and commitment the minister has for the job!
He was however of the view that getting to the root cause of poverty would go a long way in addressing the problem.
“Let’s look at not only how to solve this problem, but the cause of it, if we continue to treat the effects of poverty the problem will persist. Let us look other social welfare interventions and job creation that will go a long way to support families.
The NLC boss urged the federal government to create more jobs by creating a productive economy where factories are functioning and employing workers.
He thanked the Minister for being the first member of the federal executive council to visit the labour house in President Tinubu’s Administration,saying “for finding time to visit the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, we will work with you to achieve success in this process and your impact will be felt.
President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi,thanked President Tinubu and the Minister for finding the retirees worthy of the federal government benefits.
He said Pensioners recieved as low as between five and ten thousand Naira a month,saying twenty five thousand is a big money to them. He thanked the Minister for the Exceptional performance so far urging her to keep up the speed.
