The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, announces the initiation of monthly grants to vulnerable pensioners in Nigeria.
Abuja, October 5, 2023 – President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for the disbursement of N25,000 monthly grants to vulnerable pensioners who are part of the expanded National Social Register under the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme. This announcement was made by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, during a meeting with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).
Edu revealed that she had directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to begin the payment of these grants to beneficiaries starting from the next month. The decision to extend financial support to vulnerable pensioners aligns with President Tinubu’s commitment to expanding the national social safety net and was explicitly mentioned in his Independence Day speech.
Speaking at the meeting with NLC leadership, Minister Edu stated, “The President mentioned very clearly that vulnerable pensioners should be immediately captured in the National Social Register and benefit from the Conditional Cash Transfer, as part of the national social safety net expansion. This was made clear in his speech on Independence Day where he committed N25,000 for 15 million households for three months.”
Edu urged the NLC to collaborate in expediting the process of collecting data from potential vulnerable pensioners to ensure they receive the grant promptly.
In response, Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, welcomed the initiative but stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of poverty. He highlighted the need to not only alleviate the effects of poverty but also focus on social welfare interventions and job creation that would significantly support families.
Ajaero expressed gratitude to Minister Edu for being the first member of the Federal Executive Council under the current administration to visit the Labour House.
The President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, extended his appreciation to President Tinubu and Minister Edu for recognizing retirees as deserving recipients of the government grant. Abumisi highlighted the dire financial situations of many pensioners, some of whom receive as little as N5,000 to N10,000 per month. He emphasized that the N25,000 grant would make a substantial difference in the lives of these retirees.
This new initiative seeks to alleviate the financial burdens faced by vulnerable pensioners in Nigeria, offering them much-needed support to improve their quality of life.