FG Releases N1.2bn to Bauchi

A total of 10,800 poor and vulnerable households in Bauchi State are to benefit from N1.296 billion under the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme of the Federal Government.

Mr Mansur Soro, the Focal Person of the programme in Bauchi, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Bauchi on the implementation of the Social Investment Programme in the state.

He said that the beneficiaries were selected from 360 communities in 12 local government areas in the state.

“So far, 10, 800 poor and vulnerable households from 360 communities of 12 local government areas have been selected”.

The affected local governments are Alkaleri, Bauchi, Dass, Tafawa Belewa, Ganjuwa, Ningi, Misau, Dambam, Giade, Jamare, Katgum and Itas Gadau.

”These LGAs have been enrolled into the programme.

“The programme is for two years and each out of the 10, 800 persons will be paid the sum of N5,000 monthly for two years.

“Plans are in the pipeline to enrol the remaining eight local governments into the intervention through the conduct of Community Based Targeting,” he said.

Soro said that by the end of April 2017, payment would commence in earnest, adding that the first payment would be conducted manually, but subsequent payment would be through bank accounts.

“The first payment will be by end of April and will be done manually, but subsequent ones will be done through accounts as we have selected Guarantee Trust Bank for the exercise,” he said.

Soro said that it was expected that the N5, 000 CCT fund would enable beneficiaries to attend to health issues of their families, among others.

Similarly, he said that 5, 249 food vendors were recruited for the school feeding programme in all the 20 local government areas in the state.

It will be recalled that over 4, 500 persons are benefitting from the FG’s N-Power program in the state with 90 per cent of the number already receiving their monthly N30,000 since December 2016.

VON