FG records 3,191 registered beneficiaries for cash transfer programme

The Management of the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme said on Monday that no fewer than 3,191 beneficiaries had been registered for the scheme in Sokoto State.

The National Enrolment Officer of the scheme, Hajiya Sadiya Abdullahi, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau.

The scheme is one of the components of the Social Investment Programme (SIP), initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, to reduce poverty among Nigerians.

Abdullahi noted that the programme had so far enrolled 3,191 households in 46 wards across the six local government areas of the state, as a pilot project.

According to her, the benefiting local government areas are: Tambuwal, Rabah, Gudu, Tureta, Binji and Isa.

“We have trained 46 cash transfer facilitators from the benefiting local council areas to serve as key actors of the programme.

“We will build their capacity to make sure that they are able to implement the programme and reorient the minds of our beneficiaries at the community level.

“The cash transfer programme focuses on cash transfer assistance and capacity building to the beneficiaries, especially at the community level,” she said.

According her, the cash assistance is usually followed by capacity building to ensure that the beneficiaries utilise the funds given to them, in line with the aims and objectives of the programme.

“The assistance is in form of N5,000 cash to each beneficiary every month for a period of three years,” the national enrolment officer said.

Abdullahi commended the commitment of the Sokoto Government to the success of the programme in the state.

“We appreciate Gov. Aminu Tambuwal’s Wife, Hajiya Mariya Tambuwal, Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning and Women Affairs, for their support and cooperation toward the success of the programme in the state.”

The national enrolment officer also thanked the management and staff of Sokoto Cash Transfer Unit of the programme, and urged them not to relent in their efforts to ensure the success of the scheme.

(NAN)