Gov. Bassey Otu (L) and Dr. Betta Edu dancing during the Christmas package presentation to the poor and vulnerable.
It was jubilation galore for the very poor and vulnerable groups in Cross River state as they received unprecedented christmas packages from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Christmas day.
Similar packages were doled out to beneficiaries in Lagos, Kogi, Imo, Akwa Ibom states and others.
This was the launch of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Grants For Very Poor And Vulnerable groups.
At the Millennium Park in Calabar, venue of the launch, beneficiaries were full of joy and praises for President Tinubu for the Yuletide gesture saying the money will go a long way to provide a sustainable livelihood for their household this period.
No fewer than 5,000 vulnerable, very poor persons and even People With Disabilities (PWDs) in state received N20,000 grant each from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation during the flag off of the grants on Christmas day in the state.
Speaking at the event which was held at the Millennium Park, Calabar, the state capital, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu in a press release by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Rasheed Olanrewaju Zubair, said the one-off grant was part of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s determination to lift vulnerable Nigerians from the abyss of poverty across the country.
“Here in Cross River, we are flagging off the grant for vulnerable groups in Cross River. So far, we’ve been able to reach 5,000 very poor and vulnerable persons at the grassroots in this state with plans to expand in the coming year. “
“We have checked and confirmed that these people are very poor and they deserve to benefit from the scheme in line with President Tinubu’s commitment to lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty in 2024 through the various social protection programs,” the Minister said.
She urged the beneficiaries to invest the grants into profitable economic ventures saying, “these monies are not given to you for you to spend on drinks or do whatever that is out of place, but to start a petty trade or boast your petty trade and make better profits to sustain your families.
“These monies can be used to start up little businesses. You can use these grants to boost your trade, and that will help with sustainability. These grants are deliberate acts by the federal government to pull people out of poverty”.
Dr. Edu assured that qualified Cross Riverians will be beneficiaries of the federal government’s social intervention programs being implemented through her ministry and agencies within the sector.
Earlier, the State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu flagged off the event and presented the dummy cheques to the beneficiaries with the wife Rev. Eyoanwan, commended President Tinubu for championing the cause of the poor and prioritising the welfare of the citizens.
A cross section of the beneficiaries in Cross River.
The Cross River Governor, who said the state under his watch has been pushing a people-first government stated that he has given palliatives like never before in the history of the state and implored the beneficiaries to put the grants into proper use.
Otu said, “the grants for the vulnerable” programme will undoubtedly make a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals in Cross River State
“On behalf of the people of Cross River State, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, the President of this great Nation, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for truly making a difference in peoples lives daily and championing this cause of prioritizing the welfare of our citizens, it is easy to know a transparent government that means well for its people,” he said.
On her part, the wife of the State Governor, extended her gratitude to the Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, saying, “her compassion and dedication to our nation’s well-being have been invaluable. The President and his wife have exemplify true leadership and empathy”.
“I would like to extend my appreciation to my amiable Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, for her tireless efforts in coordinating the implementation of this program in our state and across the nation. We are proud of her hard work and dedication to duty.
“Your collective efforts have inspired hope and brought much-needed relief to those who need it most, especially in a time like this. I implore you the beneficiaries to put to good use the grant given to you so that in no distant time, we can all begin to live better lives”, Rev. Otu said.
Recall that this latest Christmas package is coming on the heels of other packages provided by the President to give relief to Nigerians during this period.
Recently, over 3.5 million households in Nigeria have already received the Renewed Hope conditional cash transfer, with another 4.5 million being enrolled and banked presently at various villages and communities across the country even through the season. These households are to be paid within two weeks.
Furthermore, the payment of the backlog for NPower beneficiaries is ongoing with one month of payment for almost 400,000 beneficiaries already completed this Yuletide season.
Similarly, the president also announced the reduction by half on road, rail, and air transport this Christmas period.
