No fewer than 23,000 residents across the 20 Local government areas in Ogun State have benefited from the ongoing Federal Government “Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer” cards distribution exercise, towards economy recovery and poverty alleviation in the country.
Speaking with newsmen during the cards distribution monitoring exercise at Ikenne Local Government, Ogun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Olufunmilayo Efuwape said the programme was one of the initiative of the Federal Government to ameliorate poverty in the nation.
Hon. Efuwape explained that 754 ATM loaded cards, was available to be distributed in Ikenne Local Government, advised the beneficiaries to think out of the box and make judicious use of the money and admonished them to avoid unnecessary utilisation of the gesture, encouraged those yet to collect to be hopeful as long as their names were on the Social register.
In a related exercise at Odogbolu Local Government, the State Programme Manager, Mrs. Funmi Baker explained that the distribution exercise was in phases, added that 13,000 cards had been distributed to the beneficiaries before now, disclosed that 10,000 cards were made available for distribution across 20 Local governments in the State, while 724 cards were available for distribution in Odogbolu local government.
The Programme Manager revealed that beneficiaries selection was done by State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) based on docile placement.
According to her, ‘’President Bola Tinubu keyed into the Programme and increased the gesture from Five Thousand naira to Twenty Five Thousand naira which would be paid in tranches that would amount to Seventy Five Thousand naira per beneficiary”
In their separate contributions, the Chairmen of Ikenne and Odogbolu local governments, Hon. Asimi Jamiu and Dr. Diya Babatunde who was represented by the Head of local Government Administration (HOLGA) Mr. Awobutu Victor, while appreciating both the Federal and State governments efforts, affirmed that the gesture had contributed to the socio economy of the areas, advised the beneficiaries to see it as grants that would multiply their businesses.
Speaking on behalf of beneficiaries in Odogbolu council, the trio of Mr.
Adewunmi Ezekiel, Mrs. Ogunfowora Titilayo and Mrs. Aregbesola Rashidat and Mrs. Kadijatat Alimi, from Ikenne Local Government, appreciated President Bola Tinubu and Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration for having considerations for the vulnerable, assuring to leverage their businesses with the gesture.
