FG Begins Conditional Cash Transfer Of 5,000 To Vulnerable Households


By Blessing Bature, Abuja

As part of the efforts of the Federal Government to cushion the impacts of the restriction and lock down order, the Federal Government through the Humanitarian Ministry has began the conditional cash transfer of monthly stipends of N5,000 each to the poor and vulnerable households in FCT.

The the Honourable Minister, Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq said that this Intervention was to reduce the sufferings people are going through especially the less privileged and the vulnerable in the society during this trying time of covid-19 global pandemic .

She said the Federal Government is fully aware that the lock down and other restrictions directed by the government as a proactive measures to contain the Covid-19 virus from its continued spread will affect so many especially the vulnerable populations and therefore came up with this intervention programme to support families in their daily needs.

She added that the President has directed the ministry to give beneficiaries 4 months advance payment to ease their pain within the period of the lockdown.

" This intervention is intended to cover over 5,000 beneficiaries in Kwali Area Council of the FCT and over 1million beneficiaries across the country, but we are starting from the FCT, Lagos and Ogun as the frontline states of this pandemic, and will be carried out on monthly basis to assist the poor and vulnerable households in five states of the federation".

Farouq, said that the CCT Programme has been ongoing in the last six years and that President Muhammadu Buhari was determined to cater for the welfare of the less privileged especially during this period of Coronavirus pandemic.

Also speaking, the national program coordinator for the conditional cash transfer, Dr Sikaiye Temitope said it is long process that involves the community members in identifying poor and vulnerable.

“We have about 5,000 households in the FCT enrolled in the CCT programme. It is targeted at the poorest of the poor in Nigeria, whereby government pays N5,000 stipend to the poorest of the poor.

Government has decided to pay N20,000 to the beneficiaries, which covers a period of four months; in order to relieve the economic pressure on them.

“The exercise will take place in all the states across the federation. We are starting with FCT, Lagos and Ogun, the three states that are currently under lockdown because of the COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria. Therefore, this stipend will go a long way to support the families of the beneficiaries in their daily lives, especially at this time of the Coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the world.”

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