An additional 62,500 households in Plateau have been captured for the N5, 000 Cash transfer Household Uplifting Programme (HUP), phase II of the Federal Government’s National Investment Social Programme.
Dr Temitope Sinkaiye, National Coordinator of the programme, disclosed this on Tuesday in her address at a National Cash Transfer Stakeholders’ Meeting in Jos.Sinkaiye said Plateau was among the most active states, which qualified it for the second phase with nine other states.
“Plateau tops among the qualified 10 states across the nation because of her superb record and performance in the cash transfer programmme aimed at eradicating poverty among Nigerians.
“The additional N5,000 cash transfer is to achieve two critical areas: cushioning consumption and nutritional requirements of the poor and address the human capital needs of the vulnerable citizens.
“The federal government, especially the office of the Vice President, is so glad that the cash transfer Programmes have brought about a lot of reliefs and positive social changes in teeming households across the nation, “ she said.
The national coordinator said that the cash had enabled many women to engage in various life transforming businesses and activities such as tailoring, poultry and fish farming.
According to her, the programme has encouraged many of the beneficiaries to improve on their savings, nutritional values and take care of their children.Dr Sumaye Hamza, Plateau Focal Person of the programme, said that the feat achieved by the State was due to the commitment injected into the programme by Gov. Simon Lalong.
“Our Governor is keen at seeing that the lives of Plateau citizens, especially the vulnerable poor, are uplifted and the the state attends the desired economic growth and development.
“This is why we did all we could to qualify for this Phase II of the cash transfer programme -Household Upliting Programmme.
“We are happy and satisfied that it is a reality today that an additional 62, 500 households are being captured in the 17 local governments areas of Plateau, aside the initial 11, 000 captured in only six local government areas,”Hamza said.
Dr Ado Buba, Chairman, Wase Local Government, also the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state branch of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), assured of the commitment of council chairmen in the state toward the success of the programme.
“We as Local Government Chairmen, are not only ready to support this people-oriented programmes, but we are also ready to replicate same in our respective areas for the benefit of our people.
“We in Wase Local Government, have included this programmme in our 2019 Budget all in the effort to enable the vulnerable/poor, especially women and children to have a quality life and add to our development efforts of the area, “ Buba said.
In his goodwill messsage, Mr Daniel Nanbol-Listick, House Chairman, Health Committee, disclosed that a bill to domesticate the Social Investment Programme in the state was being sponsored by the House Speaker.
He said that the aim was to see how to bring the vulnerable out of poverty and give them quality life as citizens of Plateau. (NAN)
