Poverty Alleviation: 2,250 Ekiti Women Get N375 Million MDG Fund

L-R: Special Adviser to Ekiti State Governor on MDGs and Development Relations, Mrs. Bunmi Dipo-Salami; Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr. (Mrs.) Precious Kalamba Gbeneol; Governor Kayode Fayemi; and Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank, Mr. Tony Okpanachi, during the National Launch of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme, for 2,250 beneficiaries, in Ado-Ekiti.

The war against poverty is gradually being won in Ekiti State  as no fewer than 2,250 Ekiti women spread across five local government areas of the state on Wednesday benefitted from the N375 Million Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme aimed at achieving the overall goal of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) of eradicating poverty and hunger.

The launch which saw many of the beneficiaries smiling home with their stipends and telephone sets was witnessed by  Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi;his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi;  the Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr (Mrs) Precious Gbeneol, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin and the Special Adviser to the Governor on MDG and Multi lateral relations, Mrs Bunmi Dipo-Salami as well as representatives of other agencies and organisations.

Governor Fayemi said the initiative is aimed at stimulating economic self-reliance and growth, adding that his administration is determined to eradicate poverty within the shortest time regardless of its relatively meagre resources.

The Governor who stated that women empowerment has been given a place in the 8-point agenda of his administration explained that each of the 2,250 beneficiaries will receive N5,000 monthly for a period of one year and a grant of N100,000 for investment in an agric-related enterprise at the expiration of the scheme.

Dr. Fayemi added that the programme is dedicated to the improvement of the lives of Ekiti women not only to ensure their well-being but also to level the playing field in the socio-economic space.

The scheme is jointly funded by the Ekiti State government and the Federal Government’s MDG office to the tune of N187,500,000 each.

The Governor stressed further that the robust partnership with the MDGs office is in line with the far reaching support of the present administration in Ekiti state is enjoying from national and multilateral development partners since its inauguration in 2010.

This, he said, is as a result of the demonstration of transparency and accountability in the management of public funds as well as the efficiency in meeting up with the state’s counterpart obligations.

He added that the 8-point agenda of his administration converges intricately with the MDGs  and is arguably the “sub-national development strategy in the country that is the closest reflection of the aspirations of the global development community as enshrined in the Millennium Development Goals”.

While stating that the Social Security Scheme in Ekiti state has become a model that several governments in the country are understudying, Fayemi disclosed that the state would in the coming weeks increase the number of beneficiaries who are already 20,000.

In her remarks, the SSA to the President on MDGs, Dr (Mrs) Precious Gbeneol explained that the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme was introduced to extend cash transfers to extremely poor households on the condition that they make certain investments in the human capital development of their children and wards.

 Gbeneol added that the programme specifically conditions access to grants on either health or education with the transfer of agricultural enterprise as one of the components vital to Nigeria’s march towards meeting the MDGs.

She stated that more emphasis would be laid on social protection using the CCT through the Conditional Grants Scheme platform in order to further bridge the income gap and create wealth among the poor; adding that this stems from the fact that all the 8 MDGs are primarily geared towards tackling issues of poverty, deprivation and hunger.

The MDG boss however showered praise on Governor Fayemi for his unwavering support for the State’s MDG office at all times; stressing that the demonstration of his political will deserved more commendations.

Last modified: September 4, 2013