Lokoja – The Kogi State Government has trained 570 beneficiaries selected to benefit from the N150,000 Livelihood Support Grant (Disbursement Linked Indicator-DLI 1.3) intervention.
The 570 beneficiaries selected from the across 21 local government areas of the state were trained at a one-day workshop preparatory to the disbursement of the fund to them.
The intervention is under the state’s COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (KG-CARES).
Speaking at the workshop, Hajia Falilat Abdulrasaq, the Head of Delivery Platform for Social Transfer and Livelihood Support Grant (DLI 1.1 & 1.3) KG-CARES, said each beneficiary would be given the sum of N150,000 after he or she must have completed the Business Plan and submit the plan for approval.
(Cross-section of beneficiaries at the one-day training workshop )
According to her, 27 beneficiaries were carefully selected from each of the 21 local government areas through the state social register of less privileged and vulnerable, which is domiciled with the State Operations Coordinating Unit.
She noted that the register generated for this purpose had been verified and certified credible and reliable by the World Bank.
”As a result of the effect of covid 19 pandemic on families, the States, Federal Government and World Bank, initiated the programme to assist and improve the economic fortunes of families.
She noted that the training had been held in the East , West and Central senatorial districts of the state, ssying that participants at the workshop were drawn from Bassa, Kogi, Lokoja and Ajaokuta council areas which are contiguous to the state capital, Lokoja.
”After this training, the recipients are expected to complete the business plan, and anywhere they found it difficult, they are expected to contact the Desk officers, CTFs and GROs who are our foot soldiers.
“They are to work alongside cash transfer Unit to develop the business plan and once it is concluded and certified by independent verifier to be okay, grant will be disbursed.
“However, not all will receive the fund the same time, it will be on first come first served. All these mechanisms were put in place to ensure the fund is judiciously utilised,” She said.
Abdulrazak noted that the livelihood support grant DLI 1.3, was the second DLI that the state Cash Transfer Unit would be implementing.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs, who is the Chairman of the training session, Mr Teddy Adegbola, thanked Governor Yahaya Bello and the Federal Government for their care and support for the vulnerable and the poorest of the poor, affected by COVID-19 pandemic.
He urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the fund to improve their economic well-being and that of their families and communities.
The royal father of the day, the Maigeri of Lokoja, HRM, Muhammudu Makarfi 11, commended the governments for the wonderful financial package, aimed at reducing economic burden on families as a result of Covid-19.
The traditional ruler warned the beneficiaries against engaging in frivolities, and urged them to invest in endeavours with low risk in the volatile economy.
A beneficiary from Lokoja metropolis, who is a professional barber, Teidi Adamu, said the grant was a dream come through for him to grow his trade.
Also, Miss Falilat Yisa, a POS operator, expressed her gratitude to God, Gov. Yahaya Bello and President Muhammadu Buhari for selecting her as one of the beneficiaries of the grant.
”I will use the money to register my own POS business, which I will grow to become the biggest and most patronised in Kotonkarfe, Kogi Local Government Area,”
she said
