….Gov Uzodinma offers full support
The Federal Government of Nigeria, within the week recommenced the payment of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) beneficiaries across the country.
In Imo state, a total number of 11,617 vulnerable and poverty stricken persons who were captured in the Social Register of the National Cash Transfer Office, (NCTO) Abuja, drawn from the nine (9) pilot Local Government Areas of the State will benefit from it.
The payment is currently ongoing at the selected LGAs and is on that the exercise is being supervised by the Imo State governor, Sen Hope Uzodinma, through his Special Adviser, on Sustainable Development Goals and the programme Focal Person in the State, Princess Christina Ude, the State Commissioner for Budget, Economic Planning and Statistics, Hon Dr. C. C. Osuala through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Rev. Reginald Ude and a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, from National Cash Tranfer Office, Abuja who monitored the exercise in the State.
The programme Focal Person, in the State, Pricess Ude, in a Media chat, after inspection of the exercise in various LGAs expressed satisfaction with the success and compliance of the programme in the State.
She further, advised the beneficiaries to be judicious and reasonable while investing the money in order to meet up with the programme’s aim of bringing the poor and vulnerable out of poverty.
The Programme’s Head of Unit (HOU), in the State, Mr. Joseph Odoemenam, in a separate interview, said the payment of the four months arrears (September to December 2020), by the Federal Government has made true, confirmed the promise of the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Services, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiq Umar Farouk, who declared that the backlog of the beneficiaries stipends will be deflated in the nearest future.
A breakdown of the 9 pilot LGAs and their corresponding number of beneficiaries reads as follows:- Ahiazu Mbaise 625, Ikeduru 2486, Aboh Mbaise 1666, Isiala Mbano 905, Okigwe 2089, Onuimo 811, Ideato South 1998, Ideato North 694, Nkwere 343, amounting to a total of 11, 617 beneficiaries.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our reporters, expressed joy over the gesture while promising to make good use of the money in line with aim and objectives of the programme.
In their conclusion, they prayed to God to continuosly help the Governor of Imo state senator Hope Uzodimma in his determination to Rehabilitate, Reconstruct and Recover Imo state from it lost glory.
