The Federal Government has began disbursement of N133 milllion to 133,762 beneficiaries under the Household Upliftment Programme-Conditional Cash Transfer (HUP-CCT) in Jigawa.
Speaking at the launch, the National Programme Coordinator, Mr Ibrahim Jafar, said each beneficiary will get N10,000.
The programme, which commenced in September 2016, is focused on responding to deficiencies in capacity and lack of investment in human capital, especially amongst Nigeria’s poorest citizens.
The programme is designed to deliver timely and accessible cash transfers to beneficiary households and sets to support development objectives and priorities, to improve household consumption.
Others are increase in utilisation of health and nutrition services, improve school enrolment and attendance, improve environmental sanitation and management, among others.
Jafar, who was represented by the programme National Communication Officer, Mr Henry Ayede, said, “What we are actually doing today is payment for June and July 2020.
”The payment system is fully electronic. The beneficiaries come with their payment card.
”So far so good, the exercise is very effective.
”It will take us 10 days to complete the payment and we will conduct a mop up to pay those who did receive their money,” he said.
He urged men to support their wives to use the money judiciously.
Also speaking, the Training and Communication Officer of Cash Transfer Unit in the state, Mr Mustapha Yakubu, said the payment was for June and July 2020.
Yakubu, who represented the Head of the Cash Transfer Unit, Alhaji Abubakar Rabakaya, said beneficiaries were supposed to collect N5,000 monthly.
“The payment is taking place across the 27 local government areas of the state.
“The caregiver of the households must be the wife and if the husband has two wives, then the second wife will be the alternate, which means only women are entitled to collect the money being the caregivers in the households.
“The beneficiaries are also encouraged to engage in petty businesses or improve their already established small businesses.
“The payment is being made by two firms-Visual ICT and FETS Wallet. Visual ICT will pay the sum of N764,020 million to 76,402 beneficiaries, while FETS Wallet will pay N573,600 million to 87,360 beneficiaries,” Yakubu said.
Some of the beneficiaries commended the Federal Government for the gesture.
(NAN)