The Federal Government has inaugurated a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Food Programme (WFP) unconditional cash transfer for vulnerable communities affected by COVID -19 in Kano.
Speaking at the launch, Hajiya Sadiya Farouk, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, said that the programme would cushion the effect of the pandemic through stepped-up action to protect the very vulnerable.
Represented by Alhaji Bashir Alkali, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, she urged the state government to implement and handle the exercise in transparent manner for the benefit of those who are identified as beneficiaries of the project.
The minister said that the ministry is prepared to collaborate with the state government to ensure the success of the project.
The beneficiaries, she said, are drawn from the ministry’s social register through its programme, National Social Safety network coordinating office.
She said the ministry is working with UNDP to alleviate the suffering of the people affected by the pandemic.
Farouk said that the ministry has finalised arrangements to start the rapid response registry targeting one million poor people for the cash transfer.
The minister commended UNDP, WFP, Kano government and other donor agencies for their efforts in assisting the less privileged.
Earlier, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, commended the donor agencies for the gesture and restated the government’s commitment to bring succour to the people affected by the pandemic in the state.
He said that the state government distributed palliative to over 300,000 households in the state.
”The state government is ready to partner with UNDP, WFP and other relevant agencies to ameliorate the suffering of the masses.
Also speaking at the launch, Muhammad Yahiya, the representative of UNDP said that the agency will champion the basket funds socio-economic response aimed at providing support to public institution and vulnerable communities.
He said 9,600 families in Kano would benefit from cash transfer while 2,500 Small and medium scale enterprise and startups would be funded for business continuity under the programme.
Yahya added that N457 million (1.2 million dollars) would be disbursed in the unconditional cash transfer programme in Kano.
