No fewer than 16,744 poor households have received N20,000 each in the ongoing implementation of the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programme in Kaduna State.

The Federal Government is disbursing N446.5 million to 22,380 vulnerable households under the scheme to cushion the effects of coronavirus pandemic impact in the state.

The Head of the Cash Transfer Unit in the state, Hajiya Hauwa Abdulrazaq, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ikara Local Government Area of the state.

Abdulrazaq said that the disbursement which took place between April 7 and 15 had been concluded in eight out of the nine benefiting Local Government Areas of the state.

She explained that the programme began in the state in 2017 with about 10,000 beneficiaries, but expanded to 22,380 beneficiaries in the current year. Abdulrazaq identified the benefiting councils as Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Ikara, Kachia, Kauru, Kubau, Kajuru, Lere and Sanga. According to her, 22,040 of the 22,380 beneficiaries received N20,000 each being payment for the months of January, February, March and April at N5000 per month.

She added that 340 new beneficiaries, whose payments were to begin from March received N10,000 each being payment for the months of March and April. “So far, N19.7 million has been disbursed to 978 poor households in Sanga; N12.2 million to 604 beneficiaries in Kachia and N69.1 million to 3,487 households in Lere LGA. “We have also disbursed N34.1 million to 1, 720 households in Kauru, more than N62.3 million to 3,108 beneficiaries in Kajuru, N41.2 million to 2,053 in Kubau and N34.1 million to 1,719 beneficiaries in Chikun.

“We have just concluded the disbursement of N61 million to 3,075 beneficiaries in Ikara local government area,” she said. The official said that the exercise would be concluded on April 21, with the disbursement of N112.8 million to 5,636 vulnerable households in Birnin Gwari council. She said that more vulnerable household would be captured in the Social Register to increase the number of beneficiaries in the state. “In fact, more than 14,000 new beneficiaries have were enrolled in March, their names had been sent to the national office for approval.

“I am sure that Kaduna state would also benefit from the one million vulnerable households that would be added in the Social Register as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari,” she said. NAN reports that the exercise in Chikun and Ikara areas was hitch-free as most of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the support. (NAN)