Conditional Cash Transfer commences in Edo with training of facilitators

The Household Uplifting Programme of the Federal Government, Conditional Cash Transfer has commenced in Edo, with the training of 78 Cash Transfer Facilitators in Benin.
Focal person, Edo Social Investment Programme, Osayuwamen Aladeselu, disclosed this at the beginning of four-day Orientation, Implementation and Enrolment training for local government areas’ CTFs on Tuesday.
Aladeselu said no fewer than 11,000 less privileged persons in the state had been captured to benefit from the first phase of the CCT programme, which was implemented under the National Social Investment Programme.
She said: “We just commenced the CCT programme in Edo with the training of facilitators drawn from the benefiting LGAs, who will sensitise the beneficiaries on the electronic means of money transfer and payment.’’
She said the facilitators were also to train the beneficiaries on livelihood skills so they could make judicious use of the cash.
The Focal person added that the poverty map developed by the World Bank, was used to select the six LGAs, namely; Oredo, Ovia South West, Igueben, Esan West, Owan East and Etsako Central, for the first phase of the programme.
Earlier, Dr Temitope Sinkaiye, National Programme Coordinator, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, said the CCT programme was to reduce poverty and socio-economic vulnerabilities among poor households in the country.
Sinkaiye said the facilitators were being trained on how to use mobile applications for enrollment of CCT beneficiaries.
She added that the N5, 000 monthly stipends would be paid electronically to beneficiaries through mobile money operators who would be resident in the communities.
John Akhigbe, the Vice Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Edo chapter, commended the federal and state governments for supporting the local government councils to alleviate the sufferings of the less privileged persons in their domain.
Akigbe pledged ALGON’s cooperation and support in ensuring success of the programme.