The National Social In-vestment Programme (NSIP is to benefit no fewer than 3000 poor households in Edo State during the first phase of its Conditional Cash Transfer programme, an official has said.
NSIP Focal Person in the state, Ms Osayuwamen Aledeshelu, disclosed this to newsmen in Benin last Wednesday.
Aledeshelu said payment of the N5,000 to the beneficiaries in the first phase of the programme would commence before the end of June.
She added that the enumeration of the poor households in the state was ongoing and would be completed before the end of March.
The focal person listed Oredo, Ovia South West, Igueben, Esan West, Owan East and Etsako Central as the six pilot local government areas of the scheme.
“We have gone far with the enumeration process of poor households and we are at the development of the social register stage to form part of the national register.
“What we want to do is to have a social register, a document that can be used for any social intervention in the state.
“When the register is completed, the data will be validated and payment can be made; we are hoping that before the end of the second quarter of the year, the scheme would be in place”, she said.
Aledeshelu said the beneficiaries were being selected through a credible process as suggested by members of the communities.
“Poverty is relative and differs from place to place.
“When we get to a community, we have a town hall meeting with the leaders, men and women groups to tell us the level of poverty is in the community.
“It is the community that validates the poor persons in their midst”, she said.