Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk stated this in Jos at the Flagg-off of the Federal Government grant project for rural women held at the Banquet hall, Government House little Rayfile Jos, Plateau State.
The grant for rural women program, which was introduced to sustain the social inclusion agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, including the realization of the National aspiration of lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.
It is also designed to provide a one-off grant to some poorest and most vulnerable women in rural areas.
The Minister said a grant of twenty thousand naira will be disbursed to one hundred and fifty thousand poor, rural women across the Country.
She expressed the hope that the beneficiaries will make good use of the opportunity to increase their income, enhance their food security and generally contribute towards improving their standard.
In his address, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State said the state currently has over 230 house holds on its social register with over 877 individual households.
Lalong expressed delight that 3,005 pregnant women and lactating mothers in the state are receiving additional 5,000 naira as top-up of the conditional cash transfer.
Speaking earlier, Minister of women affairs Dame Pauleen Tallen said President Muhammadu Buhari is appreciative of the role women played in his victory at the polls.
She said over 500 women from Plateau state will benefit from the grant.
In attendance were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Air Marshal Muhammadu Mohammed retired, the UN resident coordinator on humanitarian affairs Mr Edward Kallon and the Plateau State Deputy Governor Professor Soni Tyoden.
Highlight of the event was the symbolic disbursement of the funds to some beneficiaries.
Cov/ Josiah / Jos