The National Cash Transfer Office, in collaboration with the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UKFCDO) has held a roadmap validation workshop for effective representation, wider coverage, adaptation, and implementation of cash transfer program to over 140 million Nigerians said to be in extreme poverty.
The workshop is part of activities earmarked for the enlightenment and sensitization on NCTO framework for staff and partners for optimal service delivery in tune with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope mantra and the Honourable Minister, Dr Betta Edu’s resolve to alleviate millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
Flagging off the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty Alleviation, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa stated that the role of the exercise is to navigate a proper framework to drastically lift the over 140 million Nigerians off the Poverty line and create a lasting livelihood scheme for beneficiaries.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the Deputy National Coordinator, National Cash Transfer Office, Dr Janet Ekpenyong said the Roadmap will help restructure the already laid patterns of engagement and help in the development of an effortless but realistic National Cash Transfer Programme, in collaboration with the National Social Safety Net Coordination Office (NASSCO), who coordinate the national social register.
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She said the organization, which is headed by Dr Michael Ajuluchuku, the National Coordinator, employs the principles of people, product, process, and partnership, which Promotes, empathy, integrity, dignity of beneficiaries, total inclusiveness of all eligible persons and communities, quality service delivery, and operation on an independent basis without any external or undue influence.
She encouraged participants to ensure that at the end of the validation workshop, there will be an improved roadmap which will serve as an advocacy tool to mobilize resources for the cash transfer program to provide social protection for the targeted 15 million households, to reduce or eliminate poverty, inaccessibility to health care facilities especially in rural communities.
Laying the overview of the Cash transfer office, Mrs Sadiya Abdullahi who heads the Enrollment unit of NCTO, noted that the NCTO has recorded numerous successes since it’s lunch 7 years ago and being recognized as the most effective cash transfer program in the Continent covering over 2 million households in both rural and urban communities calls for deliberate approach from Government at all times.
She noted that with due considerations to the most pressing needs of households such as poor school attendance for children,inadequate food supply inadequate access to healthcare, and persistent poverty, the program will deliver in record time.
Also speaking, representative of the UkFCDO, Miss Claire reiterated their commitment to support NCTO in the development and implementation of the Roadmap. She acknowledged the federal government’s commitment in the provision of some essential needs in tackling poverty, malnutrition, insecurity, and hunger, amongst others, which their support will further complement.
The National Cash Transfer units state leads, UKFCDO, together with other organizations such as the World Food Program, UNICEF, Save the children, state representative amongst others who were present pledged their support in order to achieve 100% coverage and implementation based on the new roadmap and policy plans.
The high point of the event was the interactive sessions by panelists and contributors, which will feed into the development of the roadmap.
Among those present were Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, NCTU heads from the various States, representatives from the World Food Program, UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs amongst others.