By Luchee Igwe
The Anambra State Cash Transfer Unit, says that about 16,636 poor and vulnerable households are currently benefiting from the monthly N5,000 cash transfer programme in the state.
Mr Raph Enukora, Head of the Unit, made the disclosure at the closing of a two-day workshop for civil society organisations and media on Enhancing Social Protection Programmes in Nigeria, on Friday in Awka.
The workshop was organised by the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), a Non-Governmental Organisation, in Partnership with International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre (IPCRC) and supported by Bread for the World in Germany.
Enukora said that the number of households increased from 3,122 in in 2017 when the programme started to 8,332 and currently, 16,636.
He said the programme which was aimed at reducing poverty in the state, was renamed Household Uplifting Programme.
“The Federal Government and the World Bank commenced the disbursement of the recovered $322 million Abacha loot through Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) in 2018 to poor households in 19 states.
“Anambra was one of the first states in the South East to key into the programme. Based on poverty mapping index of the World Bank, the households were selected from six Local Government Areas (LGAs) and later it increased to 11 LGAs.
“They are Awka North and South, Ogbaru, Ayamelum, Dunukofia, Ihiala, Anambra West and East, Orumba South and Onitsha North.
“The budgeting of the money is designed and determined at the federal level and payments have been digitalised, ” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Leo Atakpu, Deputy Executive Director, ANEEJ, said there was the need for the state to compliment the efforts of the federal government by establishing state-centric social protection programmes to reduce poverty.
“From reports we have received on poverty spread in the country, Anambra is one of the state that has high number of people living in extreme poverty, inspite of the cash transfer programme
“There is a lot of work to be done
because we found out also that there are no clear policies to drive social protection in Anambra.
“Having a social protection programmes will provide security welfare for vulnerable groups, protect them from hardship and poverty as well as enhance their social status, ” he said.
