To reduce poverty throughout Nigeria, the Federal Government plans to start cash transfers.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the Bola Tinubu-led administration would use the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to send the funds directly to the recipients rather than using intermediaries.
The first round of bulk payments for five million households would start the next week.
The Conditional Cash Transfer programme is a component of the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programme, which was designed to change the lives of millions of Nigerians who live in abject poverty, raise their standards of life, and boost the country’s economy.
Tinubu Commences Conditional Cash Transfer Program Commences to Alleviate Poverty in Nig
On Tuesday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu started the distribution of N25,000 to 15 million homes for three months as a social safety net intervention in honour of the 2023 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
The objective is to lessen the effects of the recent elimination of gasoline subsidies and aid in the eradication of poverty throughout the nation.
As part of its Conditional Cash Transfer programme, the Federal Government is now updating and expanding the National Social Register to include retirees and ex-servicemen.
Additionally, recipients who have crossed the poverty level are being removed.
Additionally, the government is removing deceased recipients from the list and excluding individuals lacking National Identification Numbers and Bank Verification Numbers.
FG Seeks Fresh $400 Million World Bank Loan For Cash Transfer To Households
In an interview with Punch, Rasheed Olanrewaju, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, provided more information on the project and stated that the cash transfer scheme has been updated and enlarged.
When questioned if the Federal Government will transfer the funds using the same old register utilised by the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, he responded, “We are using a verified expanded register that has pensioners and veterans, as well as other vulnerable persons who were not captured.”
The National Communications Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, Jamaldeen Kabir, confirmed the minister’s media aide’s assertion that recipients who had risen beyond the poverty threshold were being struck off the list.
Kabir said, “What he (Olanrewaju) told you is very correct because the register is being expanded. First of all, it has to be verified so that those who are out of the poverty line will be removed from the old register.
Tinubu Govt Fixes Date To Launch Conditional Cash Transfer To 15m Households
“Those in the register, are they still within the poverty line or have they exited the line? The expansion will also include the wives of fallen heroes and pensioners.”
Kabir said, “What he (Olanrewaju) told you is very correct because the register is being expanded. First of all, it has to be verified so that those who are out of the poverty line will be removed from the old register.
“Those in the register, are they still within the poverty line or have they exited the line? The expansion will also include the wives of fallen heroes and pensioners.”
When asked when the cash transfers would start, Olanrewaju responded that although mass payments would start the following week, certain people who had been confirmed had already been receiving payment notices.
He said, “The cash transfer (scheme) has been launched and once a household is verified, they get paid. The batches begin this month, next week to be precise; however, verified people have started receiving alerts.”
No Effort On Cash Transfers, Fixing Refineries, Others By Tinubu Govt – NLC
Kabir also commenting on when the cash transfer would begin said, “Actually, when the programme was launched at the Presidential Villa three days ago, some beneficiaries were presented with some cheques.
“So, before this month ends, the beneficiaries in the first phase will receive theirs, and this phase caters to five million households. So, we are expecting those five million households to receive money in the months of October, November and December.”
The minister’s adviser claimed that numerous efforts, including the implementation of the NIN and BVN, had been taken to make the plan credible in response to the question of how many ghost beneficiaries had been found.
Olanrewaju said, “They may not be ghosts, but we have put in place many controls to make the process credible and clean. First, we looked for the NIN and BVN to match with in-person verification and biometrics. The process is from the CBN to the beneficiaries; there are no middlemen.”
Asked to state the number of dead recipients, he replied, “We have struck off many names following the verification. The final figure will be out in weeks; it may run into millions.
FG Borrows $800m For Mass Transit, Cash Transfers
“Some are dead; some are no longer in that category (of the poor) and some could not be identified at locations given, so wait till we get the compilation ready.”
Asked to state those involved in identity theft, he said, “All these will be determined when the final report is out. For now, we will pay those fully verified and the names will be pasted in communities.
“Fifteen million households amount to about 62 million individuals, with an average of five persons per household.”
Follow us on Facebook
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.