No fewer than 81,000 residents of Ondo state are to benefit from the federal government’s cash transfer programme.

Tosin Olupona, manager, Ondo cash transfer, office of the public and intergovernmental relations, made this known on Wednesday in Akure during a training programme for local government cash facilitators.

The training was organised in conjunction with the Federal ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and the national social investment programmes agency.

According to Ms Olupona, each of the beneficiaries would receive the sum of N25,000 each for three months.

She said the programme was for the poor households, adding that in the past the state had only 12, 000 beneficiaries.

”Now it has been increased to 81,000 in line with the renewed hope agenda of the present government.

“The benefit is to cushion the effect of removal of fuel subsidy. It is an economic shock response, because the fact remains that nobody is finding it easy now, particularly the poor and vulnerable households.

“The FG has started paying them N25, 000, and they are going to take this for three months, after which they will exit the programme and another set of people will benefit.”

Ms Olupona revealed that the beneficiaries were drawn from the National Social Register and their BVN and NIN were linked for accountability, with the money paid directly into the beneficiary’s account.

Similarly, the administrative secretary, office of public and intergovernmental relations, Yemi Pirisola, said the public should have knowledge about the activities of the agency.

Ms Pirisola urged the desk officers and beneficiaries to let people know about what the government was doing and steps taken to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy and improve the lives of the vulnerable people. 

(NAN)