No fewer than 138, 015 vulnerable households in Nasarawa State were selected to benefit from the Renewed Hope Cash Transfer programme of the Federal Government (FG).
Mrs Rhoda Agbawu, Nasarawa State Programme Manager of The Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Unit made the disclosure at a three-day orientation training for desk officers from the 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
According to the program manager, the beneficiaries who were drawn from the 13 LGAs of the state, would receive N25, 000 each for three months.
She explained that the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme was a Scale-up of the National Social Safety Nets Project that began more than five years ago.
“The exercise was re-branded Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer Programme to align with the policy agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
“The rebranding came with a lot of improvement where the beneficiaries in the state were increased from 48, 624 to 138, 015 in all the LGAs against just six LGAs in the past,” she added.
The program manager explained that they had been able to enroll 80, 000 out of the total number of the beneficiaries before the programme was put on hold.
She further explained that the programme was put on hold to enable beneficiaries open accounts and link them with BVN and NIN.
“The process for enrolment and payment to the beneficiaries is now digitised to ensure accountability and transparency,” she added.
On the essence of the training, Agbawu said that it was aimed at educating the desk officers on the new changes in the programme for proper implementation.
In a goodwill message, Margaret Elayo, Commissioner for Special Duties on Humanitarian, Social Services and Non-Governmental Organisations lauded the desk officers and other staff for the success so far recorded in the implementation of the programme.
Elayo represented by Hajiya Fatima Dauda, explained that Nasarawa State was rated among in the implementation of the National Social Safety Nets Project.
She attributed the feat to the commitment and dedication of the implementing team and urged them to sustain the tempo.
Mohammed Dabo, Desk Officer of Lafia LGA and his counterpart of Akwanga LGA,Ruth Dachi told newsmen that the stepdown training would expose them to the new changes in the cash transfer programme.
They therefore promised to monitor to ensure that the monies were used for value addition to the lives of the beneficiaries and their families. (NAN).