The Nigerian government has unveiled a special grant of ₦25,000 each for vulnerable pensioners as part of its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme. Dr. Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, made this announcement during a meeting with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) leadership, led by its President, Joe Ajaero, in Abuja.
Edu noted that President Bola Tinubu had explicitly stated that vulnerable pensioners should be included in the National Social Register and receive benefits from the CCT.
FG affirms ₦25,000 commitment
This commitment was reiterated on Independence Day, with a pledge of ₦25,000 for 15 million households over three months.
The minister emphasized that the expansion of the national social register to encompass vulnerable pensioners in the CCT program aligns with the renewed hope agenda.
She urged the NLC to assist in expediting the data collection process for potential beneficiaries to begin receiving the CCT stipends as early as November.
Dr. Edu commended Joe Ajaero for his cooperative approach and emphasized that the advancement of Nigeria requires collective efforts.
She encouraged the NLC leadership to maintain confidence in the Tinubu Administration.
In response, Ajaero expressed appreciation for the poverty alleviation and job creation initiatives introduced by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
He stressed the importance of identifying the root causes of poverty and called for additional social welfare interventions and job creation to support families.
Ajaero urged the federal government to promote a more productive economy by generating more jobs to ensure national prosperity.
He also thanked the Minister for being the first member of the federal executive council to visit the labor house during President Tinubu’s Administration.
President of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Godwin Abumisi, expressed gratitude on behalf of retirees for being considered worthy of government social intervention programs.
He highlighted that many pensioners receive as little as ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 per month and noted that ₦25,000 is a significant sum for them.