Kebbi State Government has warned beneficiaries of social grants for petty trades against using the money for merriment or family celebrations.
The General Manager of the State Community and Development Agency, Alhaji Yakubu Yeldu, gave the warning at the disbursement of funds to recipients.
The exercise was made under the Kebbi State Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, Social Transfer and Livelihood grants in Bunza LGA on Friday.
He said that the purpose of the cash disbursement was to empower both male and female petty traders to boost their commerce and increase their profit margins .
He said officials of the state and federal governments would monitor the utilisation of the proceeds by the beneficiaries.
“The COVID-19 stimulus has been designed for women in purdah, engaged in petty trades such as frying of groundnut cake (kuli-kuli), bean cake (kosai), local juice (kunun zaki), soya bean chips (Awara) and other small-scale ventures.
“Similarly, men will enjoy the largesse like local barbers, or owners of barbing salons, commercial photographers and other petty traders.
“Under the first phase, 1,050 out of 1,950 individuals from 18 local government areas have been selected from the social register of Kebbi State and each person would receive between N100,000 and N120,000,” he said.
He explained that the next disbursement would cover the remaining number of people.
According to him, the disbursement in Bunza involved beneficiaries from Bunza, Dandi, Suru and Kalgo Local government areas.
The manager thanked Gov Atiku Bagudu for investing N3 billion in the scheme, which had helped in uplifting the social and economic well-being of the people of the state.
The State Programme Coordinator, Hajiya Rukayya Muhammad-Bawa, said the COVID-19 action recovery and economic stimulus, social transfer and livelihood grants had been classified to cover all sectors of human development.
She explained that social services had been provided to communities for water supply, construction of classrooms for educational purposes as well as dispensaries for healthcare and the development of 16 markets across the state.
“The government has put aside N2.5 billion for the procurement and distribution of fertilizer and agricultural inputs to 6,000 farmers aimed at forestalling hunger and achieving food security,” she said.
The coordinator also thanked Gov. Bagudu for his humane care to the people of the state to beneficiaries for economic ventures and provision of social services to the communities.