More than Two thousand five hundred women in Kwara State have received the sum of N20,000 each under the Federal Government Special Cash Grant for Rural Women.
Inaugurating the programme in Ilorin the Kwara State capital, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouk, said that the Special Cash Grant for Rural Women programme is part of President Mohammadu Buhari’s social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda.
She explained that the Federal Government would disburse Twenty Thousand naira to One hundred and fifty thousand poor rural women across thirty-six states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory.
According to Hajia Sadiya Farouk-Umar, the grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities of rural women especially the vulnerable and those living with disabilities.
The minister pointed out that Kwara State has so far received One point Nine Billion from the Federal Government Conditional cash transfer programme from inception till date and has impacted the lives of Thirty four thousand Three hundred Poor and Vulnerable Households.
Hajia Sadiya who announced that the Eight Local Government Areas in Kwara State that are currently benefiting from the Federal Government Conditional Cash Transfer are Ilorin South, Oke Ero, Kaiama, Isin, Ifelodun, Ekiti, Asa and Baruten implored the beneficiaries to make good use of the grant.
“I must note at this point, that the social register is being expanded to cater for more poor and vulnerable households in Kwara State,” she said.
The Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the conditional cash transfer scheme and the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for its transparency because those at the grassroots are feeling the positive impact.
Earlier, the Kwara State Focal Person for the National Social Investment Programme, Malama Bashira AbdulRazaq said that the State Government has replicated all the schemes which gave rise to “Owo Arugbo”, “Owo Ishowo”, KPOWER and pupils school feeding.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Vice-Chairperson, Joint Network of People Living with Disabilities, Mrs Bilqis Abdulkareem commended the Federal Government and the Kwara State Government for the grant with the assurance that the money would be channelled to business and vocational ventures.
(Radio Nigeria Network)
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.