The Federal Government on Thursday resumed payment of stipends to over 29, 000 beneficiaries in nine Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom under the Household Uplifting Programme-Conditional Cash Transfer (HUP-CCT).
The Household Uplifting Programme-Conditional Cash Transfer (HUP-CCT) is managed by the office of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Mrs. Christiana Akpan, the Head of Unit, Akwa Ibom State Cash Transfer, said the disbursement started on Tuesday in Ikono Local Government Area and would continue in Uruan and Nsit Atai LGAs on Thursday.
Akpan said that Ukanafun, Oruk Anam, Eastern Obolo, Mkpat Enin, Nsit Ubium and Onna Local Government Areas simultaneously would be cover in the batch of payment.
Akpan said that each beneficiary would go home with arrears of N30, 000 in line with federal government mandate of lifting millions of households from poverty.
“Today, we are recommencing and continuing the payment to our beneficiaries in Akwa Ibom. Today we are in Uruan Local Government Area and also in Nsit Atai but right now, this is Uruan LGA that we doing payment.
“In Uruan LGA we have a total of 3, 935 beneficiaries, benefitting today and in Akwa Ibom as a whole, we have a total of 29, 917 beneficiaries, benefitting in this programme, which cut across the nine LGAs which include; Uruan, Nsit Atai and Nsit Ubium for Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
“And for Akwa Ibom South senatorial district, we have Mkpat Enin, Onna and Eastern Obolo and in Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district, we have Ikono, Ukanafun and Oruk Anam LGAs.
“We have done payment in Ikono on Tuesday and we are going to other LGAs as we have scheduled our itinerary with the independent monitors.
“We are paying them a total sum of N789, 750, 000 million, that’s what we are paying only on this particular batch.
“The journey so far has been smooth if I must tell you, except for very few challenges which is not peculiar to Akwa Ibom alone.
“I want to use this opportunity to thank the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, she has really impacted much on the vulnerable and women in the state.
“I will also appreciate the National Project Coordinator, Hajia Halima Shehu, she is overseeing us well and we really appreciate their efforts for making it possible we pay the backlog,” Akpan said.
She commended the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for its sensitivity toward the plight of the less-privileged in the society.
“This programme by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration is highly sensitive to the plight of the people and is commendable. Many lives are being touched,” she said.
Akpan disclosed that some of the beneficiaries received their money through digitalisation payment, where beneficiaries would be paid through their account.
One the beneficiaries, Mr. Gregory Asuquo, from Oku Ikot Edon in Uruan LGA, said he has collected N30, 000 and would put it his cooperative to yield more money.
“I have collected my money which is N30, 000 courtesy of the Federal Government. I have open cooperative account to invest this money because this not the first time am collecting the money, this is my third time,” Asuquo said.
Another beneficiary, a physically challenged Mrs. Affiong Effiong, said she would used the money to improve on her water leaf farm.
“I have collected my N30, 000, this is my fourth time of collecting this money. The money has been very helpful, as I used it to plant water leaf and sell to help my children.
