Minna: Niger state Cash Transfer Unit has initiated the distribution of debit cards for a grant of N75,000 to 46,533 beneficiaries under the Renewed Hope Agenda Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme of President Bola Tinubu. The distribution is part of efforts to mitigate the impact of current economic challenges on residents.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Alhaji Suleiman Kpange, the State Programme Manager of Niger State Cash Transfer, inaugurated the distribution exercise on Saturday. He explained that the cards would be distributed to 46,000 vulnerable households throughout the state. The programme is implemented through the National Social Safety scale-up (NASSP-2) using national registers like the National Social Register (NSR), National Beneficiary Register (NBR), and Rapid Response Register (RRR).
Kpange emphasized that the initiative is an economic shock response programme designed to alleviate the effects of economic hardship on low-income and vulnerable households. Beneficiaries are entitled to N75,000 divided into three tranches of N25,000 each to help mitigate inflation, rising food prices, and other economic challenges.
The payment service providers are equipped with 46,533 debit cards for beneficiaries across the 25 local government areas of the state. This is a mini flag-off for the continuation of the distribution exercise. The beneficiaries were selected through the National Social Register and the Rapid Response Register, which captured vulnerable individuals and households across the state.
Alhaji Ahmad Inga, Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, mentioned that the initiative is a Federal Government intervention targeted at those affected by prevailing economic conditions. He urged beneficiaries to use the funds wisely to fulfill the programme’s objectives and assured them of more government interventions.
Some beneficiaries expressed gratitude towards the government for the initiative. Mrs. Tawakaltu Lawal, a petty trader, plans to use the support to expand her pepper business and improve her family’s welfare. Similarly, Mr. Salihu Abdullahi, a tomato trader, intends to invest the grant in his business to boost his income and support his household.