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NEC proposes states-run cash transfer programmes

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Abuja, July 21, 2023: The National Economic Council (NEC) has urged state governors  to implement a Cash Award Policy to its Public Servants for a period of six months to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, made this known while briefing State House correspondents on the outcome of NEC meeting presided over by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

” We had a very engaging and robust discussion today and it centred around the steps that we should take as a country towards cushioning the effects of subsidy removal and the unification of the naira.

” We also proposed accordingly that each state should begin to plan toward implementing a Cash Transfer programme that will be based on a social register in the states because the states are better positioned to do the enumeration to ensure the integrity of the social register.

” Again, it was also proposed by NEC that we should implement a Cash Award Policy for all Public Servants. What it means is that it is a policy that allows each sub national to pay public servants a certain prescribe amount of cash on a monthly basis for six months,” he said.

Abiodun said that many sustainable measures are being put in place, adding that between now and the next six months those sustainable measures would begin to be visible.

“We also talked about paying our civil servants outstanding liabilities whichever way like pensions, gratuities, leave bonuses and so on and so forth. We believe that it will immediately bring succour to our people.”

Abiodun also said that the NEC emphasised the need for governments to fund Micro Small Scale and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

He described MSMEs as the engine room of business, emphasised the need for government to fund MSMEs with a single digit interest loan.

He also said that the NEC discussed the immediate implementation of the Energy Transition Plan which is transiting from being reliant on petrol to  a cheaper and more sustainable particular Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

” We have an abundance of gas in Nigeria. So it was recommended that states will begin a plan to begin to convert their Mass Transit Buses, their taxi vehicles to CNG which will create employment as well.”

He explained that the long term vision of the government was to use Electric Vehicles but because government want to ensure that it set up manufacturing assembling plan in each zones in the country.

” And that might take between six to eight months to one year that idea to begin to implement the conversion to CNGs in the meantime while electric vehicles takeover.

” So these are the immediate steps we discussed and proposed at the NEC meeting to ensure that our citizens have all understanding that we are indeed as worried as they are. They will begin to see these initiatives implementations immediately.”

Naira-Notes-2

Disbursement of Conditional Cash Transfer begins nationwide

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The Federal Government has commenced the disbursement of monthly stipend of N5,000 under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme to poor and vulnerable persons across Nigeria.
The National Project Accountant, Mr Jafar Ibrahim-Yabo, who represented the National Programme Coordinator and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster management, flagged off the disbursement in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto state.
Ibrahim-Yabo said 3,165 beneficiaries from six local government areas would obtain the payment in the present circle of disbursement.
He added that in the next circle, no fewer than 75,000 beneficiaries will be targeted.
Ibrahim-Yabo reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment on enhancing peoples’ lives through valuable programmes and urged beneficiaries to be patient if there are delays in the disbursements.
According to him, the present scheme is Household Uplifting Programme (HUP), introduced by the federal government in 2016, to fortify the social safety net.
He explained that the programme is aimed at helping the poor exit poverty, prevent the poor and the vulnerable from sinking further into poverty and build resilience to withstand shock and risks.
The accountant added that the gesture would surely continue to improve household consumption and enhance the economy of the affected communities, among other benefits.
The sum of N44 million conditional cash transfer to 1, 997 poor and vulnerable households in started in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger state.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk disclosed this at the commencement of the programme in Maikukunle, headquarters of the local government, on Friday.
Represented by Hajiya Hadiza Shiru, Head of Unit, the minister said the grant was aimed at increasing access to financial capital for an improved economy.
She said that ” N20,000 was disbursed to each of the 1,997 beneficiaries, out of which 495 are given additional top up totally N30,000 per beneficiary.
”This is the conditional cash transfer to beneficiaries to help improve household consumption and enhance human capital, while protecting households from shock”, she said.
In Abia state the sum of N630 million had been disbursed to 9,347 beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer in six pilot local government areas of the state.
The Head of the Unit of the programme in the state, Mr Okeziem Nwoko, said in Umuahia on Saturday that the money was disbursed during the first and second circles of the programme, covering September 2018, when it began, to August 2020.
He said the third circle, which was divided into three categories, started on Friday, with the first to cover September through December last year.
He said that each beneficiary was entitled to N20,000, with all totalling N186.9 million.
Nwoko said the second category would cover January, February, March and April, while the third category would cover May and June to complete the circle.
He said the subsequent payment circle would cover 22,815 beneficiaries, which would include the December additional enrollment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt the programme was relaxed in Abia last year following the suspension of the former State Coordinator.
The N5,000 monthly stipend comes under the Federal Government Household Uplifting Programme/Conditional Cash Transfer initiated by the present administration.
Nwoko said the pilot scheme had performed creditably with over 432 cooperatives formed in the six benefitting council areas of Abia.
He said the cooperatives were formed in line with the objective of the programme to build the capacity of the beneficiaries “to be able to manage their resources and overcome poverty”.
He said the cooperatives would also enable the members to access loan and agricultural inputs.
Nwoko, therefore, advised all the programme beneficiaries to endeavour to register with cooperative societies in their area.
He expressed the hope that the remaining 11 LGAs of the state would be enrolled as soon as the pilot scheme was completed.