138,015 households to benefit from FG cash transfer in Nasarawa State -Official

No fewer than 138,015 vulnerable households in Nasarawa State are targeted to benefit from the Renewed Hope Cash Transfer programme of the Federal Government (FG).

Mrs Rhoda Agbawu, the Nasarawa State Programme Manager of The Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Office, said this on Friday in Lafia at the opening of a three-day orientation training for desk officers from the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Agbawu said that the beneficiaries, to be drawn from the 13 LGAs of the state, would receive N25,000 each for three months.

She explained that the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme was a Scale-up of the National Social Safety Nets Project that began more than five years ago.

“The exercise was re-branded Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to align with the policy agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“The rebranding came with a lot of improvement where the beneficiaries in the state were increased from 48,624 to 138,015 across all the LGAs as against just six LGAs in the past,” Agbawu added.

The programme manager explained that the office had so far enrolled 80, 000 households out of the total number 138,015 beneficiaries before the process was suspended.

She explained that the programme was temporarily suspended to enable beneficiaries open accounts and link their Bank Verification Numbers with their National Identity Numbers.

“The process for enrolment and payment to the beneficiaries is now digitised to ensure accountability and transparency,” she added.

On the essence of the training, Agbawu said that it was aimed at educating the desk officers on the new changes in the programme for proper implementation.

In her goodwill message, Margaret Elayo, Commissioner for Special Duties, Humanitarian, Social Services and Non-Governmental Organisations, lauded the desk officers and other staff for the success so far recorded in the implementation of the programme.

Elayo, represented by Hajiya Fatima Dauda, the Director of Administration in the ministry, explained that Nasarawa State was rated high in the implementation of the National Social Safety Nets Project.

She attributed the feat to the commitment and dedication of the implementing team and urged them to sustain the tempo.

Mohammed Dabo and Ruth Dachi, Desk Officers of Lafia and Akwanga LGAs respectively told newsmen that the training would expose them to the new changes in the cash transfer programme.

They assured of effective monitoring of the beneficiaries to ensure that the monies were used to add value to the lives of their families.