Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has expressed his delight to the Federal Government over the flag-off and release of Cash Grant fund for Osun rural women.
Governor Oyetola made this known at the official flag off ceremony by the Minister for Humanitarian Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, at the Staff Development Center, Abere Osun State.
Governor Oyetola, represented by the Secretary to the State Government Prince Oluwole Oyebamiji said that the spread of the beneficiaries is in tandem with the strategy of his administration to equally deliver services and programmes under the development agenda across the Local Government Areas in the state.
The state governor thanked President Buhari for his “sustained commitment to combating poverty in the country”, with record showing that “the Buhari administration has the record of implementing the biggest and the most ambitious social protection programmes in the history of the nation, with not less than four million citizens benefitting from different programmes across the country”.
He also expressed appreciation to the leadership of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs under Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk for the passion and commitment to the seamless implementation of these programmes which had continued to impact lives.
While acknowledging that no society is secure until there is a proper plan put in place to take care of the most vulnerable, he commended the initiative which is coming in the wake of the novel Coronavirus pandemic that disrupted economic activities globally. He also added that the arrays of social protection programmes being implemented by the current administration are critical to the quest to uplift the people from the throes of lack and deprivation.
In her remark, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, represented by the Director Finance and Accounts, Dr Mathew Dada said the Federal Government since 2015 has paid attention on promoting the plight of the poor and vulnerable in the country, despite the economic slump the administration inherited.
He added that the Social Intervention Programmes since creation in 2016 has positively impacted the lives of the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria, through the life-changing experiences of people who lived below the poverty line and those that are vulnerable to shocks.
Adding that with the creation of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development by President Buhari in 2019 under the leadership of Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, the programmes were restructured and revamped to respond to peculiarities of different parts of the country to ensure the right beneficiaries are targeted, and to enhance impact on target beneficiaries. He added that the President has graciously approved the expansion of the programme to touch more lives and lift more Nigerians above the poverty line.
The Minister said the Grant for Rural Women Programme was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Buhari’s administration, said a cash grant of of N22,000 (twenty Thousand naira) will be disbursed to one hundred and twenty-five thousand poor women across the 36 states of the federation, with Osun State beneficiaries being three thousand, two hundred and seventy (3,270) beneficiaries across the 30 LGAs.
In her remark, the wife of the Governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola congratulated the beneficiaries for benefiting from the Federal Government Cash Grant for Rural Women in Osun.
Citing herself as example, Mrs Oyetola said that she started her business with seven hundred naira and today, the business has grown in leaps and bounds. She added that the money might look small, but that it can actually grow the business if invested judiciously. She clamoured that they should also do thrift contribution alongside the petty business they are investing the money in.
The Osun First Lady urged the Federal Government to ensure that it gives a position to a woman out of every three position of appointment.
In his opening remark, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Intervention Programme Hon. Lukman Abimbola Bello commended President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government administration for the intervention programme made available to rural women in Osun.
He cited that Social Intervention Programmes in Osun such as Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme OYES, which had engaged over 50,000 youths and O’Meal has been successful, he added that despite paucity of funds from the federal government, the state Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has not failed in ensuring that the O’Meal programme is continuous.
Congratulating the beneficiaries, he called on Osun citizens to continue supporting Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in all his programmes.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the trio Aderinola Mariam, Falilat Nasir and a person with Disability Lawal Monsurat appreciated the government for counting them worth of the cash grant, they said that people had rumored the cash grant to be a fluke, added that they are glad to witness it today that it’s real and not as rumoured.
They promised to use the cash grant benefited judiciously and prayed for the success of the government at all levels.
Present at the programme are the Commissioner for Women, Children and Women Affairs, Bar. Mrs Olubukola Olaboopo, the Iyaloja General of Osun, Alhaja Awawu Asindemade, and host of others.
Highlight of the cash grant flag off programme, was the presentation of the cash to beneficiaries, starting from the selected Persons with Disabilities at the venue.
