The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq has flagged off the payment of grants to 3, 166 beneficiaries of the Grants to vulnerable groups in Niger State.
Presenting the Cheques to selected beneficiaries in Government House, Sadiya Farouq said President Buhari had also approved the release of 12, 000 metric tons of assorted grains from the Strategic Grain Reserve and Non-food materials for distribution to the victims of flood and banditry in the state.
She said the grants under Grants for Vulnerable Groups for programme targeted rural women to sustain social inclusion of the present administration.
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According to her, under the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP), 70 percent of beneficiaries out 5, 428 people were women while the remaining 30 percent were youths with emphasis on people with Special needs.
The minister also said the Condition Cash Transfer payment system had been digitized to improve the pace of payment and ensure accountability, adding that the digitisation would enable generation of reliable payment data and records and enhance inclusivity of the target beneficiaries.
In his remarks, the Governor of Niger state, Abubakar Bello described the social protection programmes as “unprecedented which has supported Millions of people across the state.
The governor who was represented by the Secretary to the state government, Ahmed Matane, noted that the successful implementation of the programme by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration would give the party ticket to win the 2023 elections
He also appreciated the federal government for lifting over hundred million Nigerians out of poverty.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Focal Person, National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP) in Niger State, Amina Gu’ar, lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for sustaining the programme that had touched the lives of the poor and the vulnerable in the society and improved the living conditions of citizens in the state especially the victims of banditry and recent flood disaster.
