Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, has begun disbursement of N3bn livelihood support grant to 15,000 beneficiaries across the state, with each beneficiary expecting to receive N200,000.
Speaking at the ceremony in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, the governor assured residents of the readiness of his administration to provide the necessary support and priority to achieve a high impact of the objective of the scheme.
“Let me advise the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money by investing in gainful ventures that would generate income and enable them to become not only self-reliant but also employers of labour.
“We have set up independent verification agents from the World Bank where the staff of the Ministry of Budget would monitor the utilisation of the money, to ensure the money was not diverted to different uses,” Idris said.
The governor, however, warned officials entrusted with the disbursement of the grant that the state government would not condone the diversion of the funds to other means other than its original purpose.
He said that he would continue to source resources within and outside Nigeria to bring home for the benefit of the people of the state.
The governor used the occasion to announce that the Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, would be in Kebbi on Thursday to launch the distribution of solar-powered water pumps to farmers.
He said the government has already procured 10,000 units of the water pumps at the cost of N700,000 per unit.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning who is also the Chairman, Kebbi Cares Steering Committee, Dr Abba Sani Kalgo, said the programme was designed to cushion the economic and social effects on the people as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said, “Under the ongoing third round of the livelihood grant disbursement, the governor has instructed that the money accruing to each beneficiary should be raised to the highest peak of Two Hundred Thousand Naira limit set by banks which is unprecedented in the history of Kebbi State.”
The Commissioner expressed appreciation to Governor Nasir Idris for his benevolence, compassion and support to the Kebbi Cares program.
Governor Nasir Idris witnessed the disbursement to the first batch of beneficiaries by ATM card through POS during which he confirmed the actual amount in the account.
The Speaker Kebbi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Usman Muhammad Ankwe, Chief Judge of the State, Justice Umar Abubakar, Grand Khadi, Sadiq Muktar, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Yakubu Bala Tafida, Head of Service, Alhaji Sufyanu Garba Bena, Commissioners and Special Advisers witnessed the ceremony.
