More than N30 billion may reach the hands of the poor and vulnerable people in Lagos in the next six months as the State Cash Transfer Unit has kick started the enrollment process for the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme.
Part of the National Social Safety Net Project Scale-Up (NASSP-SU), the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu aims to bring financial relief to vulnerable citizens across the 36 states of the Federation.
The first tranche will come from Economic Shock Response Cash transfer while the second will come from the Extended Regular Cash Transfer (ER-CT).
In his opening speech during the Renewed Hope Enrollment Training for 186 Cash Transfer Facilitators in the state, the Lagos Commissioner for Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment Akinyemi Bankole Ajigbotafe said the NASSP-SU was part of reforms in the government’s support policies for the poor, which places the people at the center of development with an aim to leave no one behind.
Ajigbotafe said the programme is focused on helping impoverished communities and people.
According to him, it will contribute to promoting sustainable socioeconomic development and poverty reduction.
Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer, he explained that each beneficiary will receive #25,000 per circle, for three payment circles, culminating in total financial support of #75,000.
According to him, beneficiaries of the second component which is Extended Regular would get #10,000.00 bi-monthly, bringing the total to #60,000.00.
The financial assistance, he noted, would make a significant impact on the lives of the beneficiaries, contributing to their well-being and resilience due to the hardship caused by the current economic reforms in the country.
According to him, over 283,003 households are to benefit from the ongoing enrollment across a total of 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
He also appreciated Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his relentless support and care for the down trodden in the state.
He said the great humanitarian strides and efforts were evidenced in the various humanitarian programmes to cater for the poorest of the poor, the vulnerable and the indigent citizens in the state.
“It is truly a greater rising season for our state.
“President Bola Tinubu launched the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer in November, 2023 to mitigate amongst others the economic shocks arising from government policies.
“Also from natural disasters add pandemics that negatively affect rural and urban livelihoods in Nigeria.
“With this, the Federal Government established a time-limited economic shock Response – Cash Transfers (ESR-CT) of N25,000 for 283,003 poor and vulnerable households (PVHHs) in Lagos state to cushion the effect of the on-going economic reforms as mandated.
“A total of 283,003 poor and vulnerable households have been mined for enrolment into conditional cash transfer in the state.
“This includes 209,385 mined Poor and Vulnerable Households and 73,618 from the National Social Register (NSR) and Rapid Response exercise.
“This will aid the capacity building of the nominated 186 cash transfer facilitators to be equipped.
The National Programme Manager, National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Dr Micheal Ajuluchuku, represented by Zainab Usman said the Federal Government commenced the immediate roll-out of Cash Transfers to beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Cash Transfer Programme which aims to provide 15 million poor and vulnerable Nigerian households withN25,000 monthly, for three months.
According to her, the roll out is leveraging the NASSP-SU implementation strategy and delivery platforms, with a view to providing a cushion against the on-going economic reforms
She explained that NASSP SU is designed to support new beneficiaries for Economic Shock
Response Cash transfer (ESR-CT) in urban and rural areas across the country and existing CT beneficiaries for Extended Regular Cash Transfer (ER-CT).
She added that the beneficiaries of the programme are products of the recent Social Register verification and that they spread across the 774 LGs in the Country based on States quota.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, Dr Abiodun Onayele said there were efforts by the government towards implementation of programmes for sustainable poverty reduction.
According to him, all beneficiaries will be paid through their bank accounts. Those with existing bank accounts, he noted, will be paid through their accounts while new accounts will be opened by the programme for those that do not have accounts. The strategy, he continued, will help to ensure all beneficiaries are financially included through the programme.
He urged the public to visit their communities to enquire if their community is part of the current disclosure and check their names on the disclosure list which is often displayed on a location agreed by the community members for unhindered access and convenience of the members for validation and enrollment.
Speaking further on this, the State Programme Manager, Mrs Lola Korede Orimogunje said the enrollment targets beneficiaries from the National Social Register (NSR) and additional beneficiaries from the Rapid Response Register (RRR). The enrollment, according to her, is actively ongoing in all the Local Government Areas, Wards and Communities across the State.
She urged beneficiaries to provide their National Identification Numbers (NIN) during the enrollment process to meet the eligibility criteria for opening bank accounts in fulfillment of the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directives. The enrolment exercise which began last week is going to last for ten days.
(The Nation)