Beneficiaries of Edo Livelihood Support Programme, under the Cash Transfer Unit of the state on Thursday declared support for Gov. Godwin Obaseki and candidates of PDP for House of Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the programme, which started in 2022, has impacted no fewer than 169 beneficiaries across the state.
The programme is one of the Disbursement Link Indicators of the state government, targeted at the poor and vulnerable households in the state.
Speaking at a feedback meeting at the State Cash Transfer office in Benin,
a cross section of the beneficiaries from Oredo and Ikpoba Okha local government areas, thanked the governor for the project.
They said Obaseki had impacted their lives positively through the project, adding that it should be sustained beyond 2023
Mr Monday Aideyan, a welder, who appreciated the governor for the project, said the fund he received was used to buy welding materials to boost his trade.
“I was surprised that I was selected to benefit from the project. When they came to my work place, they only asked what trade I was into, and I told them.
” And they trained us on how to grow and sustain our businesses after which we were told to go and open accounts with Zenith Bank,” Aideyan said.
According to him, I was given N200,000 and the money went a long way for me and my family.
Also, Mr. Martins Idusuiyi, a farmer said he diversified into chicken business, with the money he was paid.
Mrs Mariam Abu, a food vendor with eight children, said she was paid N100,000 which she injected into her business, adding that the money had since tripled.
” I am a widow, I have not received this kind of support since my husband died. So I will not joke with the business,” she said.
According to her, I want to beg everybody to support the government, so that the project can continue for others to benefit from.
The Head of the State Cash Transfer Unit, Flora Bossey, while addressing them, explained that the beneficiaries were paid between N20,000 and N200,000 to support their businesses.
She revealed that the selection process was not in anyway political, as it was purely based on data from the state Social Register of Poor and Vulnerable, adding that the objective was to support small businesses, mostly those affected by COVID- 19 pandemic.
Source – NAN