By: ABUBAKAR AHMADU MAISHANU, Dutse
The Special Intervention Program (SIP) of the Federal Government meant to assist the poorest of the poor, has disclosed that it would be spending nothing less than N6.billion for Jigawa State beneficiaries in 2018 for the program in nine (9) selected local government areas of the state.
“The amount is going directly to the rural economy and you know what its means to stimulate rural economy,” Temitope Sinkaiye, National program coordinator. Conditional Cash Transfer Program said on Tuesday in Dutse, Jigawa State capital.
She said, the program is in three components. “The base transfer for consumption. Training on livelihood activities, they form cooperatives, they do savings, we link them up to credit for their businesses.
“Other components of the program which we have selected Jigawa as one of the beneficiaries is what we call ‘Top-Up’ and Jigawa has selected health as its area of deficiency that it would like to address the issue of maternal/child health challenges in the state.
She said that Jigawa is among the three states in the federation that have qualified for the Top-Up.
“This is because it has indicated commitment to the program by providing office accommodation, personnel and mobility.
“Every household that has a pregnant woman and children between the age of zero to two would receive additional N5,000 after complying with the attached conditions.
“For health, the condition is basically, the woman is attending ante-natal and post-natal and the child is receiving all the immunisation, for states that selected education, the beneficiaries must be children of primary school age, because the top-up variee.
Sinkaiye also stated that, for the program to take- off they need to access the health facilities because they cannot apply conditions that peoples cannot fulfil.
“If a woman can go for antenatal, the clinic must be there to attend to their needs and that of the children.
“We visited health facilities to access whether they can provide the services, we spoke with the governor, we presented the reports and we have a very cheering news that they are going to address where there are gaps, some communities have good health facilities while others need renovation and manpower and by now they have swung into action.
She further explained that she has confidence on the authorities in Jigawa based on past experiences.
“We know Governor Badaru, when he says something, he commits himself, this is why Jigawa has gone this far, having access to this additional support that other states are still lagging behind,” she added.
