Ilella ( Sokoto State) – A total of 575 indigent persons in Sokoto State have benefited from a N23 million grant, meant to reduce poverty and empower the poor.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the beneficiaries drawn from Illela Local Government, received N40, 000, 15 layer-chicken, cage, feeds, among others.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, who disbursed the fund at Illela, said it was under the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme of Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs).
He said that the aim was to make the poor productive and self reliant.
” The state government provided N13 million out of the amount, while Illela local government provided N10 million.
” The state government aims to further reduce the prevalence of poverty and unemployment across the state,” he said.
The governor said that the beneficiaries, who were earlier trained in poultry farming, were made to enrol their children in school as part of condition for the grant.
He said the measure was to press the fact that poverty should not inhibit access to education for children.
” The beneficiaries are largely widows, aged, orphans and other indigent residents of the area,” he explained.
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Earlier, the Commissioners for Budget and Economic Development, Alhaji Bala Kokani, and that of Local Government, Alhaji Mannir Dan-Iya, said that the scheme was aimed at addressing some of the development challenges of the state.
Two beneficiaries, Hajiya Hajjo Nagoda and Alhaji Aliyu Hamidu commended the state government for the gesture and promised to utilise the opportunity to reduce their level of poverty. (NAN)