A total of N2.1 billion has been disbursed as a conditional cash transfer grant between January and July this year to beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom State.
Godwin Akpan, Akwa Ibom State Focal Person of the National Social Investment Programme, stated this while launching the Scheme in Uyo, the State capital.
He noted that the Conditional Cash Transfer is a component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, adding that Akwa Ibom State was enlisted on the programme in 2019 with 29,117 households registered in none Local Government Areas, and later scaled up in December 2023 to accommodate all the 31 Local Government Areas.
Earlier, Helen Obareki, Coordinator Office of the First Lady, lauded President Bola Tinubu for the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer programme, saying it had proved to be a legacy of support to the most vulnerable in society and governance through more life-changing programmes.
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“I have always said that, even though we are currently embarking on numerous audacious projects of deep economic significance, the greatest legacy I hope to leave behind, will be our impact in the lives of the people, especially the most vulnerable and in the process, help restore their faith in the noble ideals of government and governance”, she noted.
She pledged continued support to the President’s Social Investment programmes for providing succour and empowerment to the poorest of the poor in the State.
She noted the State’s efforts in providing business, agricultural and other empowerment schemes for the poor and vulnerable, alongside the payment of gratuities, where over ₦60 billion has been paid out of a ₦98 billion backlog spanning 2012-2023, urging beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds and continue supporting the President’s initiatives.
But Emem Ibanga, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, thanked Governor Umo Eno for his dedication to the welfare and poverty alleviation of the people, noting that under his leadership, over 205 ARISE compassionate homes had been built and inaugurated for vulnerable individuals.
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Goodwill messages were presented by Linus Nkan, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning; Inibehe Silas, Commissioner for Women Affairs; and Utibe Nwoko, the Chairman of Ika Local Government Council, who all lauded President Tinubu for making social security an important aspect of governance and promised to act as social catalysts to enhance the living standard of vulnerable people.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Joseph Emmanuel, a visually impaired resident from Ikot Ekpene Local Government, expressed gratitude to both the Federal and State Governments for the transparent process used to identify less-privileged individuals to benefit from the initiative.
About 28,000 vulnerable individuals drawn from the social register of the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State are beneficiaries of the programme, which is providing debit cards worth N75,000, covering three months.
