15 million pensioners to receive N25,000 from November- Edu

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation will from next month start payment of N25,000 grants to the benefiting members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners captured in the expanded National Social Register of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu announced this during a visit to the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja.

The Minister explained that the decision to include vulnerable pensioners in the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme showed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to deliver on the mandate of reducing poverty in Nigeria.

“The President mentioned very clearly that vulnerable pensioners should be immediately captured on the National social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion and this was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed N25,000 for 15million household for three months.”

Dr Edu appealed to the NLC to help fast-track the process of collating Data of would-be beneficiaries so that they can start benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.

She commended the president of NLC, Comrade Joseph Ajaero for being a team player, saying the task of moving Nigeria forward was a collective one and urged him to continue to have faith in the federal government under President Tinubu.

Responding, Comrade Ajaero expressed delight at the various poverty alleviation schemes rolled out by the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry and the passion and commitment the minister has for the job.

Comrade Ajearo urged government to get the root cause of poverty to enable it address the problem and underscored the need for the federal government to create more jobs for the teeming youth.

President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, who thanked President Tinubu and the Minister for finding the retirees worthy of the federal government benefits, decried the low amount on money that pensioners have been receiving ranging from N5,000 to N10, 000 monthly.