FG will empower 15m households under CCT programme, says Minister Edu

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu says the Federal Government (FG) will empower 15million households under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme.

Edu said this on Tuesday following her visit to the Minister of Information & National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in an effort to alleviate poverty in Nigeria.

The spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation (FMINO), Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, in a statement on Wednesday said different programs are in place to reduce the level of sufferings among Nigerians.

“The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu has solicited the support of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, for the publicity of all programmes of the Ministry including the National Social Safety Nets Programmes to be launched under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration,” Iliya said.

“The Minister made the request during her courtesy visit on the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, at the Ministry’s Headquarters, Radio House, Abuja.”

She disclosed that Edu will be carrying out various Social Protection Programmes under the National Social Safety Nets Programmes to lift Nigerians out of poverty.

Edu said under the Humanitarian pillar of the Ministry, the Federal government will be providing shelter, nutrition and other social needs for people affected by humanitarian crises while under poverty alleviation, several programmes will be launched to lift citizens out of poverty.

According to Dr Edu, the programmes include the End Hunger Programme under the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Grant for Vulnerable Groups, Renewed Hope Shelter programmes, among others.

“She disclosed that the Federal government will empower 15million households under the CCT programme with a total sum of N75,000 paid to each beneficiary in three installments,” Iliya stated.

“Dr Edu also stated that 1.5 million persons will benefit from GEEP programme starting in October, 2023. Each beneficiary will receive N50,000 under the Market Women, Trader and Farmer loans project of GEEP. The payments will be made in 3 phases of 500,000 persons in each phase.

She added that for the Renewed Hope Shelter programme, the Minister said government will provide shelter for the Poor, IDPs and Refugees. The community will build the houses while the Ministry will provide the enabling environment.

“Building materials and furniture will be sourced locally and all these are aimed at improving the economy of both the individuals and the community,” Edu said.

Dr Edu requested for the support of the Minister of Information, Idris for the publicity of all the programmes to sensitise the public on the various programmes of the Ministry and to build confidence of the populace in government programmes.

She canvassed for the collaboration of the National Information Centres, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and public media organisations in reporting the activities of the Ministry in all the 774 local governments of Nigeria.

Responding, Idris commended Edu for her speed, dedication, focus and desire to make Nigeria better.

He applauded her desire to clean up the National Social Register saying that without adequate data, planning becomes very difficult.

Alhaji Idris said the job of the FMI&NO is to ensure that every government programme is publicized for better understanding and goodwill of the Nigerian public.

He pledged the support of his Ministry in providing necessary publicity for the programmes of the Humanitarian Ministry.