Jigawa Govt spends N192.96m on maternal, child cash transfer program – official
By: Femi Mustapha
The Jigawa Government says it has spent N192.96 million in the implementation of its Maternal and Child Cash Transfer (MCCT) program between November 2021 and June 2022.
Dr. Ibrahim Rabakaya, Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Rehabilitation Board made this known in Kano, during a three-day validation of Kaduna state’s Graduation Youth-Focused Social Protection program.
Rabakaya said that the program was introduced in 2021 based on the successes of the cash transfer program that was implemented in the state by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Action Against Hunger (AAH).
He explained that the MCCT which was implemented under the Child Development Grant Programme provided the needed evidence about the effectiveness of cash transfer in addressing poverty and vulnerability.
Rabakaya explained that the MCCT program was designed to address three of the nine domains in the State Social Protection Policy, namely Human Development Services, Child Welfare and Protection, and Social Assistance.
He said that the intervention targeted 5,740 beneficiaries – pregnant women and lactating mothers, for conditional cash transfer across the 287 political wards in the state.
He added that 20 beneficiaries were selected from each of the 287 political wards in a bid to address stunting among children under five years.
Rabakaya said that each of the 5,740 beneficiaries, received N32,000, N4,000 monthly from November 2021 to June 2022, amounting to N183.68 million.
He added that N4 million was expended as extra charges; N688.8 million in bank charges; and N4.59 million on automated teller machines cards.
“However, 172 beneficiaries had issues with their Bank Verification Number and their payment was not successful, but they will receive payment as soon as the issue is resolved,” he said.
He identified other components of the program as social behavioral change communication; Infant and young child feeding promotion at health facilities; and maternal, infant, and young child nutrition.
He added there was also the sensitization of religious, traditional, and community leaders on moringa planting and utilization.
Rabakaya said that the MCCT program was being implemented with support from AAH.
He said that the NGO supported the state in the drafting and subsequent signing of a memorandum of understanding with Fidelity Bank and made payments on behalf of the government.
“AAH also supported us to conduct a Baseline Survey to generate needed information that would help in the analysis of the impact of the program on the beneficiaries at the end of the program.
“It further helped the government to establish a Feedback and Complaint Mechanism with a toll-free line for beneficiaries and other stakeholders to call and make complaints.
“The organization equally supported the training of Grievance Redress Officers and other stakeholders on accountability, sexual exploitation, abuse, and fraud,” he said.
The Kaduna state graduation youth-focused social protection program was designed to tackle youth unemployment.
Supported by Save the Children International under its Expanding Social Protection Programme for Inclusive Development, the program will build the needed resilience to socio-economic shocks among the poor and vulnerable youth.
