The minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, says her ministry has disbursed the sum of N6,091,580,000 to 129,137 poor and vulnerable households in Zamfara State.
The minister stated this during a meeting with the Emirs and other stakeholders at the Zamfara State Government House, Gusau, as contained in a statement by the Chief Information Officer of the ministry, Adeyemo Felicia.
According to the minister, the disbursement is done through the Conditional Cash Transfer Program to the poor and vulnerable households with a monthly base cash transfer of N5,000 to each beneficiary in the State.
The program, she said, was aimed at graduating them out of poverty.
“The CCT exercise conducted in six Local Government Areas, namely; Anka, Bungudu, Birnin Magaji, Kauran Namoda Tsafe and Talatar Mafara, improved the socio-economic livelihood of over 130,000 beneficiaries with payments of between 30,000 – 80,000 distributed based on dates each beneficiary was registered into the CCT Programme,” Mrs Umar-Farouq said.
The minister added that, “the COVID – 19 Pandemic lockdown has negatively affected national economic and social activities.
“In view of these challenges and as outlined in the ‘Bouncing Back: Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan’ document, the existing Social Investment Programmes are being expanded to offer greater and wider protection to the most vulnerable persons and communities.
“In October 2019, the Zamfara Social Register had 175,955 poor and vulnerable households (PVHHs) made up of 802,279 individuals.”
Continuing, the minister said that, “the register has grown under my stewardship to 420,358 PVHH and 1,950,201 individuals that will benefit from the government’s social safety net programmes.
“Furthermore, Cash Transfers will be expanded to cover an additional 1 million households, nationwide.
“Of this expansion, Zamfara will have a total of 138,861 new beneficiaries, in addition to the 130,000 currently being paid through the Cash Transfer programme.”
Mrs Umar-Farouq explained that the meeting would come up with ideas and solutions that we will re-imagine and define a new approach to tackling and effectively resolving social and economic vulnerabilities in Zamfara State”.
She added that the meeting was a demonstration of the government’s consideration of the stakeholders which importance can and will contribute to the success of this great Nation’.
Speaking earlier, Governor Bello Matawalle appealed for intervention of the Federal Government in roads construction that would give security agents access to remote areas where bandits hide.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Bala Bello Maru, the governor also thanked president Muhammadu Buhari for his concern on insecurity bedevilling the state and unwavering efforts in formalizing mining sector.
