John ODHE, Yenagoa
As a measure to cushion the effect of economic hardship in the country, the Federal Government of Nigeria on Thursday gave the sum of N20,000 each to 2,219 poor women and youths to start up or boost small scale businesses in Bayelsa state.
The gesture is part of the on-going distribution of federal government cash grant to vulnerable groups and digitized payment for conditional cash transfer across the 36 states of the federation.
Flagging off the cash distribution exercise in Bayelsa state, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Haj. Sadiya Farouq said the exercise was an initiative of the Buhari led federal government to alleviate the sufferings of the poor masses.
The minister, while commending the women who converged on the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall of Government House for comporting themselves during the exercise, also enjoined the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the cash by investing it wisely in small scale businesses such as roasting of plantains, corn, selling of bags of sachet water amongst other ventures that could earn them money.
Any Yakurr Person Eyeing House Of Reps Seat In 2023 Is Selfish, Greedy-Obla
“We have converged here today to witness the consolidation of the National Social Investment Programme designed by the federal government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to specially and effectively give a lifting hand to some of our poorest and vulnerable citizens in our country.
“Being implemented in close partnerships with the state government, this effort is a clear demonstration of our collective commitment to address poverty which today is the core developmental challenge confronting us as a people.
“Let me add here that our target in Bayelsa state is to disburse the grant to 2,219 beneficiaries across the local government areas in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s social inclusion,” Farouq said, adding that seventy percent of the beneficiaries was women while the remaining thirty per cent was for the youths.
One of the beneficiaries, Miss Blessing Omire, who said she was into bakeries, commended the federal government for the initiative, expressing optimism that the cash would boost her business.
Also, a physically challenged female beneficiary who was identified simply as Miss Fortune thanked President Buhari for the gesture, adding that her fish business which was on the verge of collapse would receive a boost.
