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From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Some beneficiaries of Edo Livelihood Support Programme, under the Cash Transfer Unit, yesterday, declared support for Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 18.
The programme which started in 2022 has impacted no fewer than 169 beneficiaries across the state.
The Programme is one of the Disbursement Link Indicators of the state government targeted at the poor and vulnerable household in the state.
Speaking at a feedback meeting at the State Cash Transfer office in Benin, a cross section of the beneficiaries from Oredo and Ikpoba Okha Local Government Areas thanked the governor for the kind gesture.
They pointed out that Obaseki has impacted their lives positively through the project adding that the project must be sustained beyond 2023.
Mr Monday Aideyan, a welder , who appreciated the governor for the project, said the fund he received was used to buy welding materials to boost his trade.
“I was surprised that I was selected to benefit from the project.
“When they came to my work place, they asked what trade I was into and I told them.
” And they trained us on how to grow and sustain our businesses after which we were told to go and open account with Zenith Bank,” Aideyan said.
According to him, I was given N200,000 and the money went a long way for me and my family.
Mrs Mariam Abu, a food vendor with eight children said she was paid the sum of N100,000 which she injected into her business adding that, the money has tripled.
” I am a widow, I have not received this kind of support since my husband died. So I will not joke with the business, she said.
According to her, I want to beg everybody to support the government so that the project can continue for others to benefit from.
Also, Mr. Martins Idusuiyi, a farmer said he diversified into chicken business with the money he was paid.
The head of the State Cash Transfer Unit, Flora Bossey explained that the beneficiaries were being paid between N20,000 and N200,000 to support their businesses.
She said that the selection process was purely based on data from the state social register of poor and vulnerable, stressing that the objective was to support small businesses mostly affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
