The Federal Government has inaugurated the Special Cash Grant Project in Benue and disbursed N20,000 each to not fewer than 2,900 rural women.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in a statement on Saturday in Abuja signed by the Deputy Director in the Ministry reiterated Federal government’s commitment towards addressing the plight of poor and vulnerable in the country.
Farouq said the grant was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Muhammad 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.
“A cash grant of N20,000 will be disbursed to about 125,000 poor women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Our target in Benue State is to disburse the grant to about 2,900 beneficiaries across all Local Government Areas of the State. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries,” Farouq said.
She said it is the hope of the government that the beneficiaries of the programme would make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard.
Farouq said they should use the funds as seed to boost their trade and business for greater income adding that they should not to see the funds as their own share of the so-called ‘National cake’.
The statement also said the Governor of the state, Mr Samuel Ortom, represented by his wife, Mrs Eunice appreciated the Federal Government initiative for empowering women to improve their economic status.
He notee that, social protection programmes contribute to economic growth; and the grant would go a long way to enhance the economic status of the beneficiaries.
The Governor said, Benue women were strong and resilient and would make a success out of the grant given to them.
“you can choose to have the testimony of starting small and making a success out of a small business”.
He urged them to utilise the money judiciously for their economic well- being and by extension the state and the country at large.
Also, the state’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, MrsTabitha Igirgi, in her good will message, commended the Federal Government for including Persons with Disabilities on the Cash Grant project.
“It means that these socially disadvantaged and physically challenged persons have been recognised in the national development process”.
Igirgi pledged the support and commitment of the State’s Ministry and its readiness to partner with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development in areas of mutual interest. (NAN)