FG Inaugurates Cash Grant For 3,500 Ogun Rural Women

The Federal Government at the weekend inaugurated its N20,000 cash grant each for 3,500 rural women drawn from the 20 local government areas (LGAs) of Ogun State.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Faruq, performed the ceremony at the Obas Complex in Abeokuta.
Faruq, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bashir Alkali, said the grant was designed “to give a lifting hand to some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens”.
She said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had paid priority attention to the welfare of the poor and vulnerable since its inception, in spite of its revenue challenges.
The minister said: “Poverty reduction has become a major objective of governments all over the world.
“This informed the pres-ident’s decision to initiate the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) as a strategy for poverty reduction and enhancement of social inclusion.
“The NSIP is adjudged as the largest social protection programme in Africa with over one billion dollars earmarked annually to cause positive change in the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable.
“Since its introduction in 2016, the social investment programme has impacted positively on the lives of the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria.
“It is on record that so far, over 12 million households have benefitted from NSIP interventions.
“This includes the payment of a monthly Conditional Cash Transfer of N5,000 to one million indigent Nigerians to protect them against economic shocks and lift them out of poverty.
“No fewer than 1.1 million micro and small business owners accessed loans to boost productivity, increase income and reduce poverty under the Government Enterprise Enhancement Progr-amme (GEEP).
“The N-Power programme provided temporary income-generating opportunities for 500,000 unemployed youths.
“Also, about 8.6 million primary 1-3 pupils in public schools are currently receiving one meal per day under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme,” she said.