Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Faruk, on Monday flagged off the Federal Government’s payment of N5,000 monthly stipends to the most vulnerable in Bayelsa.
The programme is part of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the federal government’s Social Investment Programmes, (SIP).
The flagging off of the cash transfer payment, took place at the Golden Tulip Hotels hall in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.
The cash transfer, started with three Local Government Areas of Bayelsa, namely Ekeremor, Nembe and Southern Ijaw.
In her opening remarks, the Minister said women from the geo-political zone have excelled in virtually all areas of human endeavour against all odds.
She said: “The region’s gift to humanity include but not limited to our amiable actresses, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Ini Edo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Margret Ekpo, Florence Ita-Giwa, Grace Alele Williams, Hilda Dokubo amongst others.
“Women in Bayelsa have played and continued to play prominent roles in poverty eradication in the state and it is in view of the above that they are pivotal to our poverty elimination programmes”.
Represented by the National Programme Coordinator, Dr Temitope Sinkaiye, said apart from the war against corruption, President Muhammadu Buhari, has prioritised social protection intervention to pull 100 million people out of poverty over the course of 10 years.
According to her: ”As part of the effort to actualise this dream, the government established the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to consolidate on existing social safety net programmes at the Federal level.
“Under the coordination of National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), our ministry implements various social protection scheme such as: Conditional Cash Transfer otherwise refferred to as the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP). The Youths Empowerment and Social Support Operations (YESSO); and the Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP)”.
The minister, said the implementation of the federal government poverty alleviation initiatives programmes has aided Nigerians, particularly poor and vulnerable, to directly feel the impact of governance.
She said the payment cycle could have started in September 2019 as at the time the beneficiaries were enrolled but did not, because of the issues faced with the Payment Service Provider, but that it has been resolved.
On his part, Governor Douye Diri, expressed satisfaction on the move by the federal government, to pay the cash to the poor households in Bayelsa.
He urged the women to spend the money wisely, and also to invest in any little way they could.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women, Children Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Faith Opuene, said they should use it wisely, as the state still has other programmes for vulnerable people, in Bayelsa.
In his speech, the Chairman of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa, Mr West Alalibo, commended the federal government’s initiative for poor households, in Bayelsa.
He urged those in charge not to play politics with the transfer of cash for those that have been enrolled in the system.
The chairman, also tasked the women to use the money judiciously even though it was not a huge amount, but can go a long way for them.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Gloria Orumie, commended the federal government and President Buhari, for fulfilling his promise on alleviating the suffering of the poor, in the society.
She promised to use her money judiciously, as she had never seen such from any government for a long period of time.
