By Bisola Adeyemo
Over the recent crisis in the Shasha market, The Federal Government has supplied food items to affected persons and also initiated Special Cash Grant to 5,280 rural women in Oyo.
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja signed by her media aide, Mrs. Nneka Anibeze expressed sympathy for persons affected by the crisis.
She said the ministry had activated immediate response by providing basic humanitarian relief items to the community.
“I have brought with me relief food items approved based on the initial assessment for the 928 households and 5, 568 displaced persons identified to be in Sabo, Ojoo and Akinyele.
“The Federal Government will be guided by the detailed assessment carried out by NEMA and the Oyo Government officials to provide further support that may be necessary for rehabilitation.”
Umar Farouq commended the state government and security agencies for their prompt intervention in bringing the situation under control.
She also appreciated the traditional rulers and community leaders for restoring peace in the area.
Items handed over to the state government for onward distribution to the affected persons include 928 bags of rice and garri (10kg), 928 bags of beans (25kg), and 46 kegs of vegetable oil (20 litres)
Others are 46 bags of salt (20 kg), 155 packets of seasoning cubes, and 71 cartons of tin tomatoes.
Also, the minister inaugurated the Federal Government’s Special Cash Grant for Rural Women in the state.
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A total of 5,280 beneficiaries are to benefit from the cash grant of N20, 000 each to uplift the socio-economic status of the rural women in Oyo.
According to Farouq, the state had so far received a total sum of N992, 715,000 from the Conditional Cash Transfer program since its inception, impacting the lives of 14,021 poor and vulnerable households from 28 local government areas.
“I must note at this point that the social register is being expanded to cater for more poor and vulnerable households in the state.
“The Rural Women’s Cash Grant is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural Nigeria.
“A grant of N20, 000 will be disbursed to over 150,000 poor rural women across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” she said.
According to her, the grant is expected to increase access to financial capital required for economic activities.
The governor of the state, Mr. Oluseyi Makunde represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Bisi Ilaka thanked the Federal Government for the cash grant initiative.
Meanwhile, he assured that the state government was committed to creating and improving opportunities for people to live a meaningful and fulfilled life.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Sunday Dare harped on the need to empower more women.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Fausat Sani appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for empowering the poor and vulnerable in the country.
