The Edo State Government yesterday announced that 102,650 individuals in 1,969 communities across the 18 local councils of the state are set to benefit from the second phase of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Cash Transfer. This initiative falls under the National Social Safety Nets Project Scale Up (NASSP-SU).
Yuwa Aladeselu, the General Manager of the Edo state Social Investment Programme (SIP), revealed this information during a refresher training for local government cash transfer facilitators in Benin City.
Aladeselu stressed that Edo State boasts a social register of over 1.6 million people, and Governor Obaseki is particularly invested in interventions that aid and offer relief to the poor and vulnerable in the region.
Flora Bossey, Head of Unit for the Edo State Cash Transfer Unit, reported that during the first phase of the programme in 2022, a notable 12,108 beneficiaries were enrolled and paid. Currently, 40,647 beneficiaries have been awarded N25,000 across all 18 local councils, including individuals from both the National Social Register (NSR) and the Rapid Response Register (RRR), even those with bank accounts.
Bossey further added that the cash transfer scheme aligns with the Federal Government’s vision of extending assistance to 15 million impoverished and vulnerable Nigerians through the Expanded National Social Safety Nets Programme Scale-Up. Notably, the programme encompasses Economic Shock Response Cash Transfer in urban areas, Extended Regular Cash Transfer in rural areas nationwide, and support for existing cash transfer beneficiaries yet to reach 12 payment cycles, mitigating the repercussions of the fuel subsidy removal.
Mohammed Adams, the Enrolment Officer/ Beneficiaries Management Officer of the National Cash Transfer Office, elucidated that the training aimed to ensure facilitators locate the biodata of 101,404 individuals lacking valid bank accounts and enroll them to receive the renewed hope cash transfer.
He emphasized that the payment delivery mechanism will ensure eligible beneficiaries receive timely payments directly into their interoperable transactional accounts/wallets in a hassle-free manner.
