The Edo State Government has announced that 102,650 individuals in 1,969 communities across its 18 local government areas are set to benefit from the second phase of the 'Renewed Hope Cash Transfer' by the Federal Government.
Yuwa Aladeselu, the General Manager of the state's Social Investment Programme, conveyed this information during a refresher training for local government cash transfer facilitators in Benin City.
The initiative, part of the National Social Safety Nets Project Scale-Up, aligns with the state governor's commitment to aiding the poor and vulnerable, with a social register encompassing over 1.6 million people, including 314,000 households identified in the first phase.
Flora Bossey, Head of Edo State Cash Transfer Unit, reported that 12,108 beneficiaries were enrolled and paid in the initial 2022 phase, and a total of 40,647 recipients, including those with bank accounts, have received N25,000 across the local government areas.
The program falls within the Federal Government's vision to support 15 million impoverished Nigerians under the Expanded National Social Safety Nets Programme Scale-Up, encompassing economic shock response cash transfers in urban areas.
The training further aimed to ensure facilitators identify and enrol 101,404 individuals lacking valid bank accounts for participation in the renewed hope cash transfer.
“All beneficiaries will receive their funds directly through interoperable transactional accounts/wallets thus leading to significant financial inclusion of the beneficiaries.
“We all know that times are hard; this intervention is to deliver support to those who need it most,” he said.
He, however, enjoined the facilitators to do their best to find the beneficiaries and capture them for the programme, noting that no one should be left behind.
