The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has commenced the payment N20,000 grants each to about 5,000 vulnerable, very poor persons, and people with disabilities (PWDs) under the federal government conditional cash transfer programme.
Addressing the beneficiaries and those present at the flag-off of the event at the Millennium Park in Calabar, Cross River State, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, said the one-off grant was part of President Bola Tinubu’s determination to lift vulnerable Nigerians from the abysses of poverty across the country.
Edu said: “Here in Cross River State, we are flagging off the grant for vulnerable groups. So far, we’ve been able to reach 5,000 very poor and vulnerable persons at the grassroots in the state with plans to expand in the coming year.
“We have checked and confirmed that these people are very poor and they deserve to benefit from the scheme in line with President Tinubu’s commitment to lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty in 2024 through the various social protection programmes.”
The minister advised the beneficiaries to invest the grants in profitable economic ventures.
According to Edu, “These monies are not given to you to spend on drinks or do whatever that is out of place, but to start a petty trade or boast your petty trading and make better profits to sustain your families.
“These monies can be used to start up little businesses. You can use these grants to boost your trade, and that will help with sustainability. These grants are deliberate acts by the federal government to pull people out of poverty.”
She assured the people qualified in Cross River State that they will be beneficiaries of the federal government’s social intervention programmes being implemented through her ministry and agencies within the sector.
The minister said payment to the beneficiaries of the grants in the state would span over a period of two weeks.
The state Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, who flagged off the event and presented the dummy cheque to the beneficiaries, commended President Tinubu for championing the cause for the poor, and prioritising the welfare of the citizens.
The governor, who said the state under his watch has been pushing a people-first government, said he has given palliatives like never before in the history of Cross River State, imploring the beneficiaries to put the grants into proper use.
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