Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State

At least 10,700 households are to benefit from the first phase of the Federal Government’s National Cash Transfer programme in the Kwara, an official has said.

Hajia Aminah Yahya-Bagudu, the Head, Conditional Cash Transfer Unit, Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, disclosed this on Thursday in Ilorin while speaking with newsmen.

Yahya-Bagudu said 12 local government areas were currently participating in the first phase of the progrmme, while the remaining four local government areas were being considered as beneficiaries in the second phase.

She said the programme was part of the components designed by the Federal Government to tackle poverty in the country.

She disclosed that the beneficiaries had started receiving the payment of five thousand naira monthly from the Federal Government.

Yahya-Bagudu explained that selection for participation in the programme was based on data collected for the World Bank supported Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO), where each community identified persons considered to be poor.

She said the programme was transparent and devoid of any external influence.

She added that the second phase of the programme would soon begin as the bank selected for the programme had engaged a consulting firm that would help decentralise the payment process across the state. (NAN)