During an interview with pressmen in Minna, Niger State, Afiniki Dauda, who is the Special Adviser on Empowerment and Social Protection to the Executive Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sanni Bello, disclosed that the federal government of Nigeria has paid a sum of N5, 000 each to vulnerable households in Niger State.

Speaking during the interview, Mrs Dauda said, “We have so far captured the database for the vulnerable households in twelve (12) local government areas and by 2017 we shall be covering the entire state.”

Giving further details on the empowerment scheme, Dauda mentioned the twelve (12) out of a total of twenty-five (25) Local governments in Niger State that have benefitted from the Scheme. Quoting the SA, “‎Chanchaga, Shiroro, Paikoro, Munya, Lapai, Agaie, Edati, Bida, Machegu, Kotangora, Wushishi and Magama Local government Areas (LGAs) have been captured.”

Furthermore, according to her, seventy five thousand, one hundred and fifty (75,150) households are actually to benefit from the scheme. It is noteworthy to mention that there has been an intervention by the World Bank to the worthy cause.

“The World Bank’s N32million intervention helped this office immensely in capturing 75,150 households out of which 10,173 are currently receiving their monthly N5, 000 stipends,” she said.

It is further believed that by 2017, those who are yet to would start benefitting from the empowerment scheme for the vulnerable households in Niger State.

Written by Misthura Otubu