The National Cash Transfer Office recently held an orientation/training for State and National Officers on effective programme delivery and implementation of the “National Social Safety Nets Project Scale Up” for the vulnerable, In Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
Declaring the event open, the National Coordinator of National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) Dr Akindele Egbuwalo welcomed the participants and reiterated the Federal Government’s Committment to Reach 75 Million Households In the Scale-Up Conditional Cash Transfer, to boost the economic needs of the vulnerable across the 36 states of the country and the FCT.
He highlighted other social investment programs, such as the Home Grown school feeding program, GEEP etc, that the Federal Government will be using to reach more vulnerable people in the country and encouraged Nigerians to continue to support the Federal Government.
He also congratulated the National Cash Transfer Office on the successes recorded in the first phase of the exercise; applauding the leadership and all staff who work tirelessly for the Nation’s gain.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator of NCTO, Dr Michael Ajuluchuku, said the National Orientation/training for State and National officers was to build their capacity to ensure effective programme implementation.
He also said the need to step up the program became imperative to cushion the recent petrol subsidy removal, electricity cost hike, as well as various natural and human disasters.
Dr Ajuluchuku also tasked the National and State Officers to ensure optimal service delivery across the country.
In her welcome address, the Deputy National coordinator (DNC), National Cash Transfer Office, Dr Janet Ekpenyong , applauded the States team for quality representation and management of the program, which recorded satisfactory success in the previous phase of the NASSP program.
She noted that without the corporation of the State officers, the program would have suffered under performance due to influences from groups which may have resulted into poor enumeration, capturing and funds disbursement to deserving individuals and households and other challenges.
Dr Ekpenyong encouraged improved and sustained stakeholders engagement at the Federal and State levels to foster strong collaboration and improved service delivery.
She also advocated for
proper information dissemination to beneficiaries noting that the success of the program is not just in the disbursement of funds but the ultimate utilisation of said funds for the shared prosperity of all.
The DNC thanked the World Bank team and other stakeholders for their commitment and unflinching support in complimenting the Federal Government’s effort to alleviate Millions of Nigerians out of poverty in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
The Deputy Director Planning who Spoke on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and poverty Alleviation , Alhaji Musa Balla Tefida, said the President is Committed to lifting millions of Nigerians out of Poverty in record time hence the need to tirelessly work towards achieving set goals.
Speaking after the programme, some of the States Representatives thanked the leadership of the National Cash Transfer Office for organising the programme to keep them updated on the essence of the NASSP Scale-Up and ways of effectively delivering their duties in their various states.
The Orientation exercise had in attendance Communications Officers , Monitoring and Evaluation experts, as well as Grievance Redress Mechanism officers, MIS, Operations Officers, Heads of Units and National NCTO officers.
At the end of the three day orientation, its expected that aĺl participants are abreast of the technicalities in translating the FG Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer programme as envisaged by Mr president, His Excellently, Ahmed Bola Tinubu into a working reality, as well as passing the knowledge to their subordinates in the Local Government and community levels.