FG distributes debit cards for monthly stipend payment to 15,562 poor people in Osun

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs , Disaster Management and Social Development, embarked on the disbursement of monthly stipends to 15,562 poor and vulnerable persons in Osun, through debit cards.

At Boripe Local Government Secretariat, on Tuesday, 187 vulnerable persons were issued Debit Cards for the payment of their monthly stipends.

Mrs Iyabo Ayofe, Osun Coordinator of Household Uplifting Programme-Conditional Cash Transfer, during the distribution, explained that the FG has now digitalised the payment system.

Ayofe explained to the beneficiaries that their stipends (money) would be paid/loaded on the issued debit cards henceforth, stating that they can always withdraw their money on any Point of Sales (POS) machines or Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), at any time.

She explained that the debit card has now erased the “cash by hand” mode of payment, and that anytime the beneficiaries are notified of payment, they can go to the ATM or use the POS closer to them to collect their money.

“The cards being issued to beneficiaries today is preloaded with N30,000 for the payment of the backlog of 2020 stipends.

“About 4000 of the beneficiaries, however, would have more than N30,000 loaded on their cards, this is because these category of beneficiaries have additional health expenses and dependants e.g pregnant women, breast feeding mothers and those with children from zero to five years.”

“This digitalisation mode of payment makes payment easy, eliminates attack on beneficiaries by criminals and make it easier for beneficiaries to withdraw their money wherever they are, at any point in time.” she said

She, however, said the distribution of the debit cards to beneficiaries would only cover eight local government areas (as the pilot phase), that it would be extended to the remaining 22 local government areas and area office, subsequently.

She said the Household Uplifting Programme/Cash Transfer is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration promise to pull 100 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians out of poverty.

Also speaking, Mr Lukman Bello, Osun Focal Person on National Social Investment Programme and the Senior Special Adviser to Osun Governor on Social Investment Programme, said the HUP-CCT is a fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to Nigerians.

Bello explained that the new digitalised method of payment is far better than the old “cash by hand” system because it eliminates insecurity, advising beneficiaries to always keep the PIN of their debt cards securely.

He said the FG was paying the poor and vulnerable people in the state the stipends bi-monthly from January to June 2020, but had to suspend the payment because of the Corona Virus outbreak.

He said the FG has , however, re-continued the payment and that what the government is now paying the beneficiaries is the balance payment for July to December 2020.

“What we are owing beneficiaries is actually about 14 months stipends, but what we are paying now is the six months backlog of last year/July to December.

“After the end of the payment exercise, in the next three to four months, the stipend payment shall continue seamlessly.” he said

Mrs Isiah Olaitan and Mrs Muyilatu Oyewole, two of the beneficiaries from Boripe Local Government, that spoke to NAN, praised the FG for the intervention, saying the money had really helped them to sustain themselves and also help their business growth.

They both, coincidentally, said they rear goats and chickens and that the stipends had been of immense help in boosting their little business

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