The Edo Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation says it has begun distributing debit cards to vulnerable residents of the state under the national cash transfer programme.

Andrea Olu-Martins, the ministry’s public relations officer, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Benin.

Mr Olu-Martin said the distribution was being carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the World Bank, and the National Cash Transfer Office.

The spokesperson noted that the distribution commenced in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state, where 1,908 beneficiaries received the debit cards.

Speaking during the exercise, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bisi Idaomi, said the initiative would improve the livelihoods of vulnerable households across the state.

Ms Idaomi was represented by Nosa Nesta Efemwenkiekie, the director of the NGO and partner coordination department in the ministry.

“I am delighted to witness vulnerable households in Ikpoba-Okha benefiting from the federal government’s cash transfer programme.

“This programme will improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people across Edo,” he said.

The head of Administration of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Evbu Oboh, commended the initiative and called for sustained public sensitisation to enable more eligible residents to benefit.

He urged stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns so that vulnerable households would better understand the programme and access its benefits.

Also speaking, the coordinator of the Edo State Cash Transfer Unit, Queensley Eboigbodin, said the programme, which commenced in 2019, provided ₦75,000 to eligible households and ₦25,000 to eligible individuals to mitigate the effects of economic hardship.

She explained that beneficiaries received the funds through debit cards issued after successful verification and enrolment.

Ehigie Osahon, the state coordinator of the social investment programme, said prospective beneficiaries were identified through data generated by the state operations coordinating unit, which were then verified and enrolled at the national level.

According to him, the process is designed to ensure that only qualified beneficiaries are captured under the programme.

TeasyPay, the payment service provider engaged by the World Bank for the programme, facilitated the distribution of the debit cards. 

(NAN)