From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
The Federal Government yesterday extended its Grant for Rural Women Project to 2800 rural women across 17 local governments of Enugu state.
Speaking at the flag off the disbursement of grant held at the Dome Centre Enugu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Farouk, said that the project was part of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Bashir Alkali, the minister stressed that the programme was designed for the poorest and most vulnerable citizens in the country.
Noting that the Federal Government had since 2015 paid more attention to addressing the plight of the poor and vulnerable in spite of daunting revenue challenges Farouk said, “It is in view of this that President Muhammadu Buhari graciously approved the expansion of the programme to touch more lives and lift more Nigerians above the poverty breadline.
“This grant was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of the current administration consistent with its vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years. It is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural and semi-urban areas of the country.”
She said that a cash grant of N20,000 would be disbursed to about 125,000 poor women across the 36 states of the federation, adding, “Our target in Enugu State is to disburse the grant to 2800 beneficiaries across all the 17 local councils and it is our hope that it will improve their living standards.”
On the Government Enterprise Enhancement Programme (GEEP), the minister said that no fewer than one million micro and small business owners had accessed loans just as the N-Power programme had provided temporary income-generating opportunities for 500,000 unemployed youths.
She also said, “No fewer than eight million Primary 1-3 pupils in public schools are currently receiving one meal per day under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.”
In an address, Enugu State Deputy Governor, Mrs Cecelia Ezilo commended the Federal Government for using the NSIP to enhance social inclusiveness in the country and charged the beneficiaries to utilise the grants to enhance their standard of living.