Kebbi disburses N200m livelihood support to 2,000 beneficiaries

The Kebbi State Government, on Monday, commenced disbursement of N200 million to 2,000 beneficiaries as livelihood support grant under the second phase of Kebbi Cares Programme.

Our correspondent reports that the State Deputy Governor, Sen. Abubakar Umar-Tafida, flagged-off the second phase of the programme at the Presidential Lodge, Birnin Kebbi.

The deputy governor said: “It gives me great pleasure to stand here before you today on this historic occasion of Kebbi Cares Grant Distribution to 2,000 worthy citizens of Kebbi State, in the continuous efforts of this administration’s service to the people.

“Occasions such as this calls for special gratitude to Allah (SWT) for giving us the opportunity to chart a new course of making lives more meaningful to our people.”

Umar-Tafida listed some dangers of idleness among youths which subjected able-bodied persons to poverty, hunger and squalor.

According to him, the administration of Gov. Nasir Idris deems it appropriate to support intervention programmes such as the livelihood support grant to make people gainfully self-employed and reduce poverty.

He appealed to the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the grants given to them and engage in meaningful trades that would support them and hopefully employ others in the near future.

The deputy governor commended the Kebbi Cares Programme for the remarkable efforts in reaching out to people in need particularly the vulnerable.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Hajiya A’isha Usman, said the target beneficiaries were the poor and vulnerable to expand their access to livelihood and facilitate food security.

She explained that the disbursement was part of the COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus designed to last for two years.

Usman announced that Kebbi was the only state in Nigeria where beneficiaries got up to N100,000 as support while in other states, beneficiaries only received N30,000.

“This feat by Kebbi, earned the state commendation from the world Bank,” she said.

She recalled that previously under the programme N2.4 billion worth of fertiliser had been distributed to over 6,000 beneficiaries under the programme in June 2022.

She further explained that over 1,000 beneficiaries received livelihood grants of N100,000 to N150,000 each across the state in the first phase of the disbursement.

The State Coordinator of the scheme, Hajiya Rukayya Bawa, said the programme had targeted more than 28,000 beneficiaries, both male and female, to engage in profitable ventures while emphasis would be placed on agriculture.

Bawa enumerated a number of projects carried under the programme which had direct bearing on the lives of people in the state.

She added that water schemes were converted to solar power, feeder roads and more classrooms were also constructed in towns and villages across the state under the programme supported by the World Bank.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala; Head of Service, Alhaji Safiyanu Bena; representative of the Emir of Gwandu, Magajin Rafi Alhaji, Sambo Aliyu; permanent secretaries and special advisers attended the programme.

Our correspondent reports that the deputy governor launched the programme by presenting N100,000 each through ATM cards to some of the beneficiaries.