The 13-year Boko Haram terrorism has killed about 40, 000 people with the destruction property worth of $9.2 billion (4.23 trillion) in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Disbursing the grants, yesterday (Thursday), in Maiduguri, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, disclosed that the programme started in 2020 as grants for rural women.
According to her, the disbursement of grants was to sustain the social inclusion agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
She noted that the Federal Government grants, are in line with its commitment of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
She disclosed that; “The GVG was designed to provide a one-off grant of N20, 000, to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in rural and urban areas across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Abuja.
“The grants are to empower the beneficiaries to improve their productivity and their commercial activities,” she said, adding that it aimed to reduce poverty and unemployment.
She explained that the Borno grants, are the highest in the country, as the state is bearing the “highest devastating impacts” of terrorism and kidnappings in IDP camps and host communities.
She said that Buhari, through his deliberate social inclusion agenda, had directed that 70 per cent of the beneficiaries must be women, while the remaining are for the youths.
Besides, she added that the beneficiaries should also be citizens with special needs, including Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and Senior Citizens in the state.
According to her, the disbursement of the grant was to increase income and productive assets of the beneficiaries.
“The vulnerable persons could improve their productivity, create wealth and generate employment,” she said, stating that they are to improve their livelihoods.
Responding, Governor Babagana Zulum thanked the Federal Government for its sustained support to the state.
He added that the inclusion of persons with disability and elderly was a laudable decision to improve people’s living conditions.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Marte he said that the State government had spent billions of naira in supporting vulnerable persons, including the one in rural areas.
According to him, the Federal Government measures have frustrated the recruitment drive of Boko Haram terrorists in rural areas.
During the marking of day, starter packs were also distributed to 168 beneficiaries with the digital payments of conditional cash transfers.
She also inaugurated the sensitization on the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).