FG shares N40m as over 2,000 Abia women benefit from government’s rural cash grant

Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

The federal government has shared about N40m as over 2,000 rural women in Abia State have benefited from its cash grant for rural women; each receiving N20,000 cash grant in a ceremony in Umuahia over the weekend.

In his speech at the event, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, represented by his Deputy, RT Hon Ude Oko Chukwu, explained that the programme was part of federal government’s initiatives aimed at empowering the rural women and making self-sufficient.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts in lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty line within a specific time frame through various initiatives.

The Abia governor pointed out that his administration has prioritised and mainstreamed social inclusion and poverty reduction initiatives in it’s policy thrust as part of efforts to improve the welfare of rural women.

In a message, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajj Sadiya Umar Farouq, represented by the Permanent Secretariat of the Ministry, Mr. Bashiru Nura Alkali, stated that since the inception of the administration of President Buhari in 2015, the federal government has continued to pay more attention to the plights of the poor and vulnerable in the country despite the prevailing economic challenges.

She maintained that the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) of the administration is aimed at poverty reduction.

The Abia State NSIP Focal Person, Mr. Chinenye Nwogu, while commending the federal government for initiating the programme, charged the beneficiaries to make proper and judicious use of the money made available to them.

In an interview, some of the beneficiaries expressed joy for receiving the cash grant from the federal government.

The beneficiaries, who were mostly indigent and physically challenged women, were drawn from the 17 local government areas of the state.