The federal government has pleaded with beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope financial grants approved by President Bola Tinubu, to invest the cash into profitable economic ventures.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, made the appeal on Monday in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State while addressing the less privileged members of the state at a Christmas celebration event.
According to a statement issued by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Zubair, the Minister told beneficiaries that the monies were not given to them for drinks or debauchery, but to start a petty trade or boost their existing petty trade and make better profits to sustain their families.
“These monies can be used to start up little businesses. You can use these grants to boost your trade, and that will help with sustainability. These grants are deliberate acts by the federal government to pull people out of poverty”, she said.
Cross River, Lagos, Kogi, Imo, Akwa Ibom and others have benefitted and Nigerians have reacted by thanking the President for the Yuletide gesture, saying that the money will go a long way in providing sustainable livelihood for their households this period.
Over 5,000 vulnerable, very poor persons and even People With Disabilities (PWD) in Cross River state received N20,000 grant each from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
This is coming on the heels of other packages provided by the president to provide relief for Nigerians during this period.
It will be recalled that over 3.5 million households in Nigeria have already received the Renewed Hope conditional cash transfer, with another 4.5 million being enrolled and banked presently at various villages and communities across the country even through the season.
“These households are to be paid within two weeks. Furthermore, the payment of the backlog for NPower Beneficiaries is ongoing with one month of payment for almost 400,000 beneficiaries already completed this Yuletide season”, she said.
The event, which was the first of its kind in the state, got the beneficiaries excited, especially the physically challenged persons, who were part of the Christmas celebrations event in Calabar.
Speaking at the event which was held at the Millennium Park, Calabar, the state capital, the Minister said the one-off grant was part of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s determination to lift vulnerable Nigerians from the abysses of poverty across the country.
“Here in Cross River, we are flagging off the grant for vulnerable groups in Cross River. So far, we’ve been able to reach 5,000 very poor and vulnerable persons at the grassroots in this state with plans to expand in the coming year.”
“We have checked and confirmed that these people are very poor and they deserve to benefit from the scheme in line with President Tinubu’s commitment to lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty in 2024 through the various social protection programs,” the Minister said.
She urged the beneficiaries to invest the grants into profitable economic ventures.
Edu assured that qualified Cross Riverians will be beneficiaries of the federal government’s social intervention programs being implemented through her ministry and agencies within the sector.
Earlier, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu flagged off the event and presented the Dummy Cheque to beneficiaries with the wife,Reverend Mrs Eyoanwan Bassey Otu commended President Tinubu for championing the cause of the poor and prioritising the welfare of the citizens.
The Cross River Governor, who said the state under his watch has been pushing a people-first government said he has given palliatives like never before in the history of Cross River, implored the beneficiaries to put the grants into proper use.
Otu said the “Grants for the Vulnerable” Programme will undoubtedly make a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals in Cross River State
“On behalf of the people of Cross River State, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, the President of this great Nation, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for truly making a difference in peoples lives daily and championing this cause of prioritizing the welfare of our citizens, it is easy to know a transparent government that means well for its people,” he said.
On her part, the wife of the Governor of Cross River State, extended her gratitude to Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, saying “Her compassion and dedication to our nation’s well-being have been invaluable together, The President and his wife both exemplify true leadership and empathy.
I would like to extend my appreciation to my amiable Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, for her tireless efforts in coordinating the implementation of this program in our state and across the nation. We are proud of her hard work and dedication to duty.
“Your collective efforts have inspired hope and brought much-needed relief to those who need it most, especially in a time like this. I implore you the beneficiaries to put to good use the grant given to you so that in no distant time, we can all begin to live better lives, “Rev. Mrs Otu said.
