The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk on Sunday, said that 2,800 rural women in Enugu State will get N20,000 Federal Government Special Cash Grant.
The Minister disclosed this during a Flag-off of the Grant for Rural Women Project and Symbolic Disbursement held at The Dome Event Center, Enugu.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bashir Alkali, the Minister said that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd) has paid more attention to addressing the plight of the poor and vulnerable since the inception of his regime in 2015 despite the economic slump and glaring revenue challenges of the country.
Farouk said this is because poverty reduction has become a major objective of governments all over the world.
“This informed the decision by Mr. President to initiate the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) as a strategy for reducing poverty and enhancing social inclusion. The NSIP is adjudged as the largest social protection programme in Africa with over $1billion earmarked annually to cause positive changes in the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the country.”
She added “Our target in Enugu State is to disburse the grant to almost 2,800 beneficiaries across all Local Government Councils. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries.”
“The Grant for Rural Women programme was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Buhari’s Administration. It is consistent with the President’s now national vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. It is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural and peri-urban areas of the country”.
While she expressed optimism that the beneficiaries of the programme would make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standards; said “It is meant for you to use in any small business venture you deem fit and that will improve your lives.”
She stated that her ministry was also working tirelessly to address some of the socioeconomic problems that are bedeviling all parts of the country by “strengthening the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.”
In his remark at the occasion, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo commended the Federal Government for the initiative.
Ugwuanyi however, appealed that the state should also be included in other NSIP of the federal government.
