The federal government declared Thursday that 1, 940, 004 vulnerable Nigerians are currently receiving N5, 000 cash gifts each, every month.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, stated this at a one-day stakeholders’ retreat on National Social Investment (Establishment) Bill organised by the Senate Committee on Social Duties.
Farouq was represented on the occasion by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo.
The minister explained that the objective of the National Social Investment Programme Establishment Bill is to provide a statutory and institutional framework for the implementation of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
She said the NSIP is directly and indirectly impacting on the lives of poor Nigerians through its four cluster programmes.
“Since the inception of the NSIP in 2015, one million youths have been empowered through the N-Power programme and additional 500,000 others are currently undergoing various trainings under the programme as approved by the President.
“The cash transfer has enrolled 1,975, 381 poor and vulnerable households from the National Social Register into a National Beneficiary Register.
“The NBR alone has 9, 841, 700 household individuals in the 36 states of the federation.
“The Cash Transfer support the poor and vulnerable to improve consumption and develop savings skills to reduce poverty line and building their resilience to withstand shocks.
“A total of 1, 940, 004 beneficiaries are currently receiving cash transfer each monthly.
“A total of 1, 142, 783 individuals across the country have registered to benefit from the second round of GEEP under the three loan programmes,” she said.
The Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, explained that the retreat was aimed at bringing together, critical stakeholders from the executive arm of government to be at par with the legislature on the proposed legislation. (Blueprint)
