Kebbi State Government has disbursed N6.5bn to 65, 000 people under the ‘Kaura Cares’ Livelihood Support program.
While flagging- off the disbursement exercise through Point of Sale (POS) to the targeted beneficiaries in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, Governor Nasir Idris said the livelihood support program is very important and dare to him because it provides privilege to beneficiaries and will improve their living conditions.
He said each of the beneficiaries received N100,000 which is unprecedented in the history of the nation and it’s only surpassed by the Federal Government.
“This scheme is in fulfillment of my campaign promise to the people of Kebbi State, and I have multiplied the number of beneficiaries by four times the initial figure.
He added that his administration will continue to implement similar programs, either under the World Bank, the Federal Government, or the State Government that will serve as beneficial to thousands of our people in consonance with what he has always emphasized that his administration is the government of the people.
The Governor said “I have watched clips of video of those who had earlier benefited from the program, from what I have seen, there is a peculiar recipient who has been going from one place to another in search of medical care.
“I am hereby directing the Ministry of Health to identify them for medical treatment in Nigeria or abroad and the state will shoulder the responsibility.”
Governor Idris reiterated his commitment to improving the welfare and prosperity of the people of the state, saying that the program had detached the people from poverty in the state.
“My government is determined to fight poverty under whatever dimension and provide the much-needed basic social services to all communities.
“I urge you to make good use of the support funds you have received, use it for yourselves and as an investment for generations to come,” he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abba Sani-Kalgo, announced that the governor approved N6.5 billion for disbursement to 65,000 beneficiaries across the state.
Sani-Kalgo said the Kaura Cares had continued to meet its target objectives of intervention, to support farming communities, increase yields, and serve with effectiveness in poverty eradication.
“The livelihood cash grant today is in fulfillment of the promise by the governor to provide such funds to 15,000 people but in his wisdom, the governor has quadrupled the number to 65,000 beneficiaries,” he said.
Sani-Kalgo said that the beneficiaries were chosen by their various communities without interference from the governor or his subordinates.
Earlier, the state Programme Coordinator of NG-Cares, Dr. Rukayya Muhammad-Bawa, said that the NG-CARES program is a beacon of hope, designed to uplift the most vulnerable citizens and enhance livelihood across the state.
“Under the livelihood intervention 1.1, from inception, we have enrolled 1,950 beneficiaries that have received N10,000 monthly for two years these beneficiaries were mined from the state social register that were either aged, chronically ill, persons with special needs, or urban poor.
“Just recently, Gov. Nasir Idris has approved to enroll another 5,850 beneficiaries who will also be receiving N10,000 monthly for one year, ” she said.
Muhammad-Bawa added that for the direct livelihood intervention 1.3, of the program, some of N200 million was disbursed to 1,050 beneficiaries under the livelihood grants scheme in the first phase.
“From inception to date, the state has disbursed over N8.5 billion to over 85,000 beneficiaries ranging from N100,000, N200,000, and N200,000.
“These funds are aimed at empowering individuals to establish and expand income-generating activities, thereby creating sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families.
He stated that under the education sector, 62 micro projects were completed; in the health sector, 42 micro projects were completed; in the water and sanitation sector, 82 micro projects were completed and five micro projects were completed in the flood and erosion sector.
“Under agriculture, over N2.4 billion worth of fertilizers and agricultural inputs was disbursed to over 6,000 beneficiaries across the 21 local councils,” he said.
Credit: Ahmed Idris
