The Federal Government has disbursed N68 million conditional cash transfer (CCT) to rural women in Yobe. The cash transfer is a National Investment Social Protection (NISP) programme to uplift the most vulnerable group out of poverty. While disbursing the cash at the weekend in Damaturu; the state capital; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq disclosed: “A total of 3,400 rural women are to benefit from a cash grant of N20, 000 each,” adding that the exercise could uplift the socioeconomic status of rural women in the state.” According to her, the beneficiaries of CCT will increase their incomes and enhance food security to improve living conditions. Her words: “I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of Governor Babagana Zulum and stakeholders, 100 million people could be out of poverty by 2030, as pledged by President Muhammadu Buhari. “I have personally witnessed the life-changing experiences of people below the poverty line. “These include vulnerable shocked ones that made a positive turn around after benefiting from this programme. “The Federal Government in partnership with the World Bank designed and developed a safety net programme for Nigeria on the platform of National Social Safety Net Project (NASSP).” She said that the CCT that commenced in 2016, was to respond to “low capacity and investments” in human capital of the vulnerable households.
According to her, the objectives of the cash transfer were to improve household consumption and school enrollment and attendance. She noted that cash transfer could improve environmental sanitation and management of scarce resources at their disposal. On utilization of cash, she said; “It’ll increase the utilization of health and nutrition services and encourage household financial and asset acquisition to restore beneficiaries’ means of livelihoods. “This programme provides targeted monthly based cash transfers of N5, 000 to poor and vulnerable households and graduates them out of poverty,” she said. She noted that the poor and vulnerable households are drawn from six Yobe councils of Fika, Bade, Yunusari, Jakusko, Nangere and Geidam, a border community with Niger. She noted that the disbursement should commence, as soon as the security situation improves in Gujba and Gulani Local Government Areas (LGAs). “The social register is being expanded to cater for more poor and vulnerable households in Yobe state,” she said
