Prospective beneficiaries of the Federal Government conditional cash transfer scheme will soon receive payment in Akwa Ibom State.
To this end, Dr Gloria Edet, state Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, held a joint appraisal meeting with staff and Local Government Cash transfer facilitators of the State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU) on Monday.
Dr Edet, the newly reassigned Commissioner for Agriculture from the hitherto Ministry of Agriculture, Women Affairs and Social Development, is the Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Steering Committee on Social Investment Programme.
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Conditional Cash Transfer Programme also is known as Household Uplifting Programme is one of the schemes under the Federal Government Social Investment Programme (SIP) targeting at improving the standard of living of the poorest of the poor in Nigeria.
The Commissioner while addressing management staff and local Government cash transfer facilitators of AKSCTU at SIP Hall, Dakada Secretariat expressed gratitude to God and Governor Udom Emmanuel for her re-appointment as a member of the State Executive Council.
She commended Governor Emmanuel for fulfilling the state obligation of payment of counterpart funding, signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), provision of manpower cum staff, provision of office equipment and logistics for the smooth running of the programme in the state
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Dr Edet, however, expressed disappointment on the way the Federal Government is handling the programme in Akwa Ibom. She maintained that she is in constant communication with the programme handlers for the commencement of payment in the state.
“It is not our Governor’s fault but the Payment Service Provider (PSP). Federal Government always has excuses on everything that concerns the programme in Akwa Ibom State. Even Lagos State that joined the programme this year, payment has commenced there”
She encouraged Local Government Cash Transfer Facilitators to remain undaunted in interacting and educating the beneficiaries in languages understood by them.
She added, “As a facilitator, be in constant communication with the beneficiaries, don’t look down on the poor people in the village, use the language understood by them to communicate, form clusters and cooperative for future use.”
In attendance at the meeting were the state vocal person, Dr Godwin Akpan, SCTU head, Mrs Christiana Akpan and SCTU staff.
Others who also attended were Desk Officers (DOs) Grievance Redress Officers (GROs) and Cash Transfer Facilitators (CTFs) drawn from the 9 pilot local government areas.
