By Akashe Abdullahi Ari
The Nasarawa State Social Investment Programmes (NSSIP) was established to impact positively on the lives of the poor, vulnerable, unemployed and those at the bottom of the financial pyramid without access to funding, to ensure they are availed the opportunity to better lives. The programmes are aimed at graduating Nasarawa indigenes from poverty by investing in the people through direct support and capacity building.
The programmes were designed by adopting the Federal Government’s National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) while carefully tailoring them to fit the unique challenges and specific needs of the people of Nasarawa State. It’s aimed also at Improving the living conditions of households of the poor and vulnerable with access to targeted funds, reduce rate of youth unemployment, eradicate malnutrition in school age children by partnering with the FG’s school feeding programme, promote access to financial services and increase rate of financial inclusion and stimulate Productivity and growth, especially in our rural communities through investment in agriculture and rural businesses.
In actualizing these goals, the Nasarawa State Cash Transfer Programme (NASCCTP) was initiated.
The NASCCTP is a programme initiated by the Nasarawa government under the stewardship of Governor Abdullahi A. Sule to reduce poverty through payment of a monthly stipend of N5,000 to each registered poor of the poorest and vulnerable beneficiary.
On 23rd March, 2021, Governor Abdullahi A Sule flagged-off the State Cash Transfer in Lafia. The programme which involves the payment of N5000 monthly stipends to the beneficiaries (popularly know as “Kudin A A Sule”) across the 1495 pulling units in the 13 LGAs of the state is the intervention of the Governor’s led administration aimed at improving the living conditions of the poor and the vulnerable people in the state.
The programme is also designed to deliver timely and accessible cash transfers to beneficiaries and support development objectives.
The disbursement exercise is coordinated by Hon Imran Usman Jibrin, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi A. Sule on Humanitarian Services and Focal Person Social Investment Programme.
The exercise is currently witnessing an outflowing of panegyrics from the beneficiaries who could not hold back their tears of joy in appreciation of the gesture, said they’re not surprised that governor Abdullahi Sule is alleviating their condition given his track record in the act of benevolence, urging him to maintain his stand in according priority to human empowerment just as they prayed God to crown his efforts with success.
“All the best, may God bless him, more grace, we appreciate for what is doing. May his tenure continue, we pray for him for another one to come”, a beneficiary from Nasarawa south said.
Another beneficiary of the Nasarawa state Cash transfer programme Jamila Osabo from Madaki Ward in Doma Government who missed out the first and second disbursement due to health condition got 15, 000 naira during the third payment exercise on Thursday 8th, July, 2021 in Doma.
Mrs Jamila Osabo who spoke shortly after receiving her money, stated that she was frenzied, saying the money would afford her the opportunity of purchasing her drugs as prescribed by the doctor.
“This will afford me the opportunity of buying my drugs” she said.
She specifically thanked Governor Abdullahi A. Sule for the gesture, appending that words cannot describe the relief the governor brought to her life, just as she pledged to reciprocate his kind gesture by way of praying for his success.
Fatima Ali from Wamba and Balu Musa pledged to reciprocate the gesture towards canvassing support for the APC led administration with the view to sustained such intervention for the best interest of the electorates.
Apart from supporting them with the monthly stipend, some beneficiaries of the Nasarawa State Conditional Cash Transfer Programme have also used the modest stipend to start and run personal businesses.
One of the beneficiaries in Obi LGA during the third payment exercise said she opened a bakery (cake) business through monthly contribution of 3000 naira with 10 of her friends.
“I joined a contributory thrift saving scheme popularly known as ‘Adashi’ with my friends” she said.
While narrating her success, Hadiza Abdullahi from Nasarawa Eggon said she used her stipend to start a ‘Nakiya’ (in Hausa) business.
“Even me, after collecting my stipend, I quickly looked for rice and start doing ‘Nakiya’Â and begin to make little profit because am the only person” Hadiza said.
One of the beneficiaries who is a deformity man from Lafia appreciate Governor Abdullahi A. Sule for coming to their aid.
“Abdullahi A Sule know we’re around and may God help him to continue helping us. we are praying for him everyday, may God give him success”, said the deformed man.
“The introduction of this programme has to a great extent brought about a change in our lives”, said ManSule, a beneficiary from Doma.
“I will invest this monthly stipend by saving a part in the education of my child” said a widow from Nasarawa West.
We have seen several other beneficiaries in different communities using the monthly stipend they receive to engage into income generating businesses.
Values addition and enhancement of economic viability of the poorest of the poor has been identify as one of cardinal objectives of governor Abdullahi Sule policies.
Senior special Assistant to the governor on humanitarian service Hon Imran Usman Jibrin stated this during a monthly take off payment of Nasarawa state investment programme in DOMA, Obi and lafia local government area .
Akashe writes from Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and can be reached via Domadam24@gmail.com
