BY Abasi Ita, Calabar
In furtherance of his resolve to tackle poverty, President Bola Tinubu led Federal Government has flagged-off the distribution of N20,000 monthly grants to vulnerable groups in Cross River state as part of poverty alleviation agenda.
Performing the official flagg-off in Calabar yesterday, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu said, the gesture demonstrate the magnanimity of a government committed towards the well-being of the citizenry.
According to him ” I have never seen a government so magnanimous as the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in my life time
I recalled that President Tinubu had declared that he wants to take 50 million Nigerians below poverty line out of that group by 2030,
“This flag off therefore is a very audacious move towards achieving that target because no government had ever done that.”
“Many people said the president is not a Christian but today, we know better, as he has decided to make the Christmas celebration more joyful for the people.
“For Cross River, we are looking into all key sectors from Agriculture, security and tourism and in no distant time the state will be a toast of all the other states in the nation,” the governor stated.
He enjoined the physically challenged to be patient with the government, noting that his administration would not segregate them as they have a separate commission is underway to handle their issues.
Speaking , the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, said the event was symbolic as it mark the take off of the Renewed Hope Mantra of President Bola Tinubu in Cross River state.
The minister disclosed said the president was closely working with the governor of Cross River State to lift all those living below poverty line in the state out of poverty.
In her words “While the federal government has so many initiatives such as the farmer money, trader money, conditional cash transfer in which 3.5 million Nigerians have benefitted across board, we also have the end hunger programme that will be launched in January, the skill acquisition programme among others; all I ask for at the state level, is for the state to key in fully to the centre,”
In her remarks, the wife of the governor,, Rev. Mrs. Eyoanwa Otu expressed optimism that the initiative would make significant impact on the lives of countless individuals in the state
While thanking the wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation for bold step, Mrs Otu appealed to the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the money to improve their lives.
Similarly ,the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme initiated by the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, has disbursed N25 million cash to 250 elderly persons in Cross River State.
Inaugurating the maiden edition of the scheme attended by more than 400 elderly men and women at the Calabar International Convention Centre (CCIC), Calabar , Mrs. Tinubu revealed “the scheme was borne out of a steadfast commitment to the well-being of senior citizens”
Represented by the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Rev Eyoanwan Otu, the president’s wife noted that each beneficiary would receive a N100,000 monthly stipend