Conditional Cash Transfer Programme: 70% of beneficiaries are Women – Minister

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has revealed that 70% of the total beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme are women

Farouq said this in Abuja, Nigeria, at a Media parley with stakeholders on the implementation of the Grant for Vulnerable Persons organised by the Ministry.

She added that the Programme is targeted at poor rural and peri-urban women and men within the productive age of 18 and above.

“In addition, about 15% of the total number of beneficiaries is specifically allocated to the segment of the population with special needs, including Persons with Disability (PWDs) and senior citizens in the Country,  forcibly displaced persons (internally displaced persons, returnees, etc), Widows and orphans”.

Umar Farouq noted that she was committed to zero corruption to ensure the success of the National Social Investment Programme, NSIP.

According to her, the Conditional Cash Transfer is designed to empower the most vulnerable in the society.

“The main objective of the Grant programme is to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries, increase access to financial capital required for economic and income-generating activities and promote financial inclusion among unbanked and underserved populations as well as contribute towards improving their living standard”.

Furthermore, Farouq maintained that the  Ministry has engaged the services of Payment Service Providers who are duly registered by the Central Bank of Nigeria for the disbursement of funds.

“The cash grant of N20,000.00 is paid to target beneficiaries using physical payment and through bank accounts or wallets”  

The Consultant and Payment Service Provider for the Conditional Cash Transfer, Ejike Mojekwu confirmed that the payment has been transparent and smooth.

“Prior to our engagement to this Programme, they had a lot of issues which had to do with reconciliation of persons paid and all that. So the Minister engaged PSPs, we are Central Bank licenced, we are already on the Conditional Cash Transfer programme and that has proven to be very transparent and very clear. 

“When they brought us in, we had to adapt our systems to accommodate them. Now, when we came in they wanted series of cash, Electronic wallet or bank account. So, we’ve been able, with them streamline the process, those who want the money in bank account, get their monies in bank account, those who don’t have account and want accounts created for them, we created for them. And after the payment, we take biometrics, we capture the pictures of everybody that was paid with the money and at the end of the day, we reconcile with the Ministry, all the money given to us will be checked against those we paid then the balance will be returned to the Central Bank. 

” I’ve been doing this for the past four years, the records are there, anybody can come and check”. Mojekwu explained

Also speaking, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim said the major challenge faced by the Commission is that of people disguising themselves as Persons of Concern to access the fund to the detriment of the displaced population.

“People try to abuse or exploit the system,so it’s a challenge across board. Some people have already gone through series of interventions,but they still qualify as IDPS, I think that’s the problem we encounter”. 

Suleiman-Ibrahim however, commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for their commitment in ensuring that the most vulnerable are being catered for.

PIAK