Just In: Governor Buni Launches Empowerment Programme to 4,510 Beneficiaries in Yobe

JUST IN: Governor Buni Launches Empowerment Programme To 4,510 Beneficiaries In Yobe

By Usman Bello, Damaturu

As part of efforts to improve economic standard of the people of the state, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni today launched the new component of cash transfer/grant of N100,000 each to 1,000 beneficiaries who were victims of flood disaster and other shocks and to also flag off the distribution of N10,000 monthly stipend each to 3,510 beneficiaries across the State.

The two components are part of the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme.

In his address at the occasion, the Governor said that he was made to understand that the NG-CARES is an intervention programme that is built on the platforms of existing projects of the Federal Government such as the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP), Youth Employment and Social Support Operations (YESSO), FADAMA, Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), among others.

These are all poverty alleviation and empowerment programmes being implemented at the Federal and State levels with clear objectives to expand access to livelihood support and food security services, and grants for poor and vulnerable households.

“The over one decade of insurgency challenge has no doubt compounded our economic situation with unfavourable poverty indices, and sadly, government’s post-recovery efforts are further being challenged by natural disasters, high inflation rates and the consequences of oil subsidy withdrawal.

“However, government is taking advantage of such interventions to improve the well-being of our people. It is, therefore, gratifying to note that the programme is utilizing the State Social Register of poor and vulnerable households to reach out to the targeted beneficiaries”.

According to him, “the NG-CARES is indeed another effective instrument that would complement the efforts of Yobe State Government in the implementation of its post-insurgency recovery plan especially in the areas of employment and income generation as well as self-reliance”.
“This administration has in this regard, employed workable and realistic measures to facilitate the recovery process of sustainable means of livelihood for our people”.

“These include training in skill acquisition, provision of tools, and start-up capital to youth and widows who opted to engage in Point of Sale (POS) business, irrigation, tailoring, painting, GSM Handset Repairs and laptops”.

“Others are fish production, poultry production, small-scale rice milling, personal beauty and hygiene, furniture-making, catering, fashion design, auto technicians, electronic technicians, food processing, animal husbandry and building”.

“Similarly, in collaboration with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation, we conducted a soft skills development train-the-trainer programme for small and medium enterprises, among other livelihood restoration and empowerment drives”.

“For the successful implementation of the various platforms of the NG-CARES, the State Government has made a cumulative contribution of One Billion, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Six Million, Nine Hundred and One thousand Naira (N1,826,901,000).

“The beneficiaries include farmers, small and medium entrepreneurs as well as provision of 44 micro projects to 21 communities under the FADAMA, Community and Social Development Agency and other related programmes in the State.