FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu made this known while declaring open a 3-day training for community based targeting team at the legislative chamber, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) in Abuja.
She, however, hinted that the second phase, which targets communities in AMAC, Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils, was coming after completion of the first phase that captured poor and vulnerable persons in Abaji, Kuje and Kwali Area Councils.
The minister who was represented by her Special Assistant and FCT Focal Person on Social Safety Net Programmes, Mrs. Chiwendu Eteyen Amba, disclosed that over 88,000 poor households were registered in more than 400 communities in the first phase of the programme.
According to her: “It is on record that as at August 2020, a total number of 88,464 poor and vulnerable households and 309,509 individuals from 408 communities across the three Area Councils were identified and registered into the National Social Register (NSR)”.
“All those who would be captured from the six area councils into the NSR by the community based process would stand a chance to benefit from the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer of not less than N5,000 monthly. “
She assuring all vulnerable persons in the FCT of government commitment to alleviation of poverty and improvement of lives, Aliyu added that government was partnering with the World Bank for the initiative.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, who hosted the training pledged continued support of his council and tasked the trainees on diligence, dedicating to the traing and exercise so as not to jeopardise an opportunity to assist the poor.
According to him; “We are delighted because you identify with this council for the training, and we appreciate you for having the time the time to train our staff who are expected to have capacity to do the job.”
“You will get the best from them. Thank you, Mr. Minister for identifying with all the councils.
Candido, therefore, called for support of all for government policies, saying: “Policies of government that are going to impact positively on the people should be appreciated, encouraged and supported.”
Similarly, the Coordinator, FCT Social Safety Net Progtamme, Malam Garba Gambo while speaking to a section of the media, said that, unlike previous poverty reduction initiatives in Nigeria, this programme was designed to succeed mainly because there was community ownership which gave it credibility hence the involvement of the World Bank.
According to him, lack of coordination which was the bane of such past programmes, was taken care of in the current initiative, adding that it adopted a community based approach, a bottom-top approach as against a top-bottom one, where real needs of the poor people were not properly identified and tackled, rather programmes of less importance foisted on the poor and vulnerable in society.
Gambo further explained that the data obtained from the various communities across the country, including the FCT, would be fed into build the National Social Register for poor and vulnerable households, and would be used for their welfare whenever the need arises.
Source: today.ng
