The Federal Government has said that it disbursed N48.72 million to no fewer than 3,826 beneficiaries in Ondo State under its conditional cash transfer programme in 2019.
Mrs. Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, made the disclosure at the flag-off of a cash grant to rural women on Thursday in Akure.
She said that beneficiaries from six local government areas in the state received the sum between September and December before the stoppage of the programme due to problems by the Payment Service Provider (PSP) with ICPC.
The minister, who said that the problems were being resolved, assured the beneficiaries that the programme would resume in earnest.
Farouq said the grant was introduced in 2020 by the ministry as part of the Federal Government’s social inclusion and poverty reduction agenda, including the realisation of the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
“It’s designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and the most vulnerable women in rural areas in Nigeria.
“A grant of N20,000 will be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities.
“It’s our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the opportunity to increase their income, enhance their food security and improve their living standard,” she said.

By Don Silas