The federal government has commenced the disbursement of special cash grant for rural women in Ogun state.
Up to to 3,500 women in the state are penciled to benefit.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, flagged off the programme on Saturday in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun state.
According to a statement made available to Blueprint, Saturday, signed by Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, Farouq told the beneficiaries that the money belongs to them and should be used in any small business to improve their lives.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, the minister said the grant for rural women programme was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Buhari’s administration.
She said: “It is consistent with the President’s now national vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. It is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural and peri-urban areas of the country.
“A cash grant of N20,000.00 will be disbursed to about 125,000 poor women across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“Our target in Ogun state is to disburse the grant to about 3,500 beneficiaries across all local government councils of the state. The grant is expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard.”
Also speaking, the Governor of Ogun sState, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Represented by the deputy governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said COVID-19 had been a big challenge for everyone across the world and Nigeria is not left out.
He said: “It has seriously impacted on economies and the ability for people to earn a living. Ogun state came up with some intervention programmes last year which provided palliatives to the people of the state.
“Ogun benefitted from several federal government schemes such as the survival fund and others. We are happy to be part of the beneficiaries of the federal government cash grant for rural women. The beneficiaries should know that the money is not a bonus but should be invested in expanding their businesses to increase their income. All the beneficiaries should be patient and orderly in receiving their money.”
