Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has begun enlightenment ahead of official launch of the Iyaloja Monie project of the current administration, which is geared at reaching half the number of poor and vulnerable individuals across the federation within the next one year.

The initiative is a multi-dimensional approach to address the menace at the grassroots with a view to renewing the hopes of millions of Nigerians daily.

The scheme, geared at capturing at least 1.5 million Nigerians, saw residents of Ushafa community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other suburbs playing host to the minister, as she engaged market women and petty traders ahead of its launch.

Newly christened Iyaloja Market Fund, Edu noted: “The non-interest loan of N50,000 would be given to Phase 1 of market traders, selected from 109 markets across every senatorial zone in Nigeria. The process of sensitisation and enrolment is ahead of the flag-off, next month.”

In a statement by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, the minister said: “President Bola Tinubu truly means well for the country and has promised to remove Nigerians from multi-dimensional poverty and humanitarian crisis. Presently, he is matching words with action.”