The Federal Government, FG, revealed yesterday that 1,940,004 vulnerable Nigerians are currently receiving monthly N5K cash benefits.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at a one-day stakeholder retreat on the National Social Investment (Establishment) Bill chaired by Senator Yusuf Yusuf, APC, the Taraba Center led the Committee. Senate Special Functions, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq explained that the goal of the bill establishing the National Social Investment Program is to provide a legal and institutional framework for the implementation of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP).
Represented Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, Farouq, who noted that NSIP was established in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle social and economic inequality as well as alleviate hunger and poverty reduction for Nigerians, said there are four social assistance programs that aim to empower the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians to achieve an acceptable standard of living.
She said:
“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 program 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.”
