The beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer programme in Delta have lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the scheme, while urging the programme’s sustainability.The beneficiaries, who trooped out in their numbers on Tuesday, at various pay points in Aniocha North and Aniocha South Local Government Areas of the state, received their May and June stipends in line with the provisions of the scheme.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Issele-Uku, Issele-Azagba and in other communities, noted that the gesture was the first of it’s kind.The beneficiaries who were widows, the vulnerable, poor and aged women, acknowledged that the monies had positively impacted their families.According to 83-year old, Mrs Florence Ohai; 70 -year old Mrs Francisca Iweka and 60-year old Mrs Mary Ijeh, a widow, the monies provided support to their families and to their micro businesses.Ohai noted that with the stipend, they could save and support their micro businesses, while feeding adequately unlike before.On her part, Mrs Ikem Okafor, a beneficiary and the Community Grievance Representative of the programme, said the training acquired through the scheme had created bonding among the beneficiaries.
She said they were able to save and to form a thrift savings group, that makes funds available to members to engage in micro trades in agricultural produce like vegetables, cassava, yam, others.They prayed God to support the President for approving a such a programme, that touched the poor and vulnerable like them, while asking for legislation to sustain the programme even after the exit of the present administration.Mrs Modupe Osharode, Head of Unit, State Cash Transfer of the National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, told NAN that payment to beneficiaries in the state started in July 2020.While thanking the State government for its support and acceptance of the programme, she said the scheme was targeting 8,164 poor and vulnerable households in the state.
According to her, benefiting nine LGAs in Delta were: Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Burutu, Ethiope East, Ika North East, Okpe, Ughelli South, Warri North and Warri South West.
She said no fewer than 1,900 vulnerable and poor households were beneficiaries of the programme in Aniocha North and Aniocha South LGAs of the state.“No fewer than 100 beneficiaries were covered in Issele-Azagba, while over 700 persons are covered in Issele-Uku area of the state.“In Aniocha South LGA, Obomkpa community have 400 beneficiaries while Nsukwa and Ogwashi-Uku have 200 and 500 beneficiaries respectively”.Osharode noted that nine LGAs were selected for the pilot programme in the state and the identified poor and vulnerable households were captured into the programmes as beneficiaries.“
We are here today to make payment to cash transfer beneficiaries in Issele-Azagba, Issele-Uku, Obomkpa, Nsukwa and Ogwashi-Uku payment points, under the Household Uplifting Programme (Cash Transfer Programme).“The programme is targeted at the poor and vulnerable household, however this payment is made to matured female caregivers, but where we do not have a female, a matured man in the household can collect the money.“
The beneficiaries are receiving May and June payments today, we started payment under the scheme since July 2020,” she said.Also, Mrs Beauty Unuagba-Uche, Training and Communication Officer, state Cash Transfer Unit, explained that the payment system had transited from analogue to digital, which had made it easier to pay all the beneficiaries within a stipulated period of time.(NAN)
