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Beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programme in Edo State including persons with disabilities have lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the programme, which they said has impacted their lives positively.
The Beneficiaries also thanked Governor Godwin Obaseki, for supporting the programme to succeed in the state.
They gave the commendation during a thank you rally to President Muhammadu Buhari for improving their lives through the programme. Beneficiaries of the N-Power programme, GEEP programme, Cash Grant Programme spoke on the benefits of the programme to them.
Participating cooks of the School Feeding programme in the state recounted the impacts of the programme to them and the school pupils as they await the recommencement of the school feeding programme in the state.
Speaking during the rally, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadia Umar Farouq, said no fewer than 386,194 have benefited from the federal government’s National Social Investment Programe in Edo state.
She listed the programmes to include Job Creation and Youth Empowerment (N-Power), Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme GEEP, National Home-Grown School Feeding, Grant for Rural Women among others.
Represented by Mr John Bello, the Minister said of this number 32,545 youths resident in Edo State are N-Power graduate beneficiaries on N30,000 monthly stipend and 3,905 N-Power non-graduate beneficiaries trained on various N-Build and N-Skills programme while 3,119 are GEEP beneficiaries.
According to her, 1,566 women benefited from the Grant for Rural Women (GRW) in Edo State and over one million persons have been enrolled in the state social register for the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme for poor and vulnerable Households.
She added that 178 food vendors benefited from HGSFP while 15,679 public primary school pupils also benefited from the programme in the state.
According to her, the social Investment programmes have given hope to the beneficiaries who were unemployed before the programmes were initiated by the federal government.
On her part, the State Focal Person, Miss Osayuwamen Aladeselu, commended the beneficiaries for appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for the Social Investment Programme which took off in Edo State in December 2016 with the support from Governor Godwin Obaseki.
She said the President has ensured that the Social Investment programme has been sustained through out his administration and many beneficiaries have shared testimonies of benefits.
She also commended the Edo state government for contributing towards the success of the programmes in the state.
“Edo State Government has created enabling environment for the N-Power programme and other social investment programmes to thrive and ensure relevant MDAs have structures in place for the Social Investment Programme.
“When EdoBEST was launched, N-Power beneficiaries were also trained in digital pedagogy skills and given personal digital assistant devices (tablets) to teach in schools and in 2021, Governor Godwin Obaseki gave an award to the best N-Power beneficiary as well as automatic appointment”.
One of the beneficiaries, Ikponmwosa Joy said the rally was organized as an avenue for the beneficiaries to thank the president for improving their lives and lift them out of abject poverty through the NSIP.
She however appealed to the federal government to allow the programmes to continue beyond the administration of President Muhammed Buhari for the benefit of the people.
Mrs Ogbeide, a GEEP beneficiary said the GEEP loan she received has helped her business.
Mr Igwe Friday, a person with disability, also appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for the cash grant programme for vulnerable persons which he said has uplift his life.
Meanwhile, the State Independent monitors of the NSIP affirmed that the programme has been of benefit to the beneficiaries as many visited have reeled out stories of impact.
