Maternal, Child Cash Transfer: Jigawa Spends N192.96 Billion

The Jigawa Government has revealed that it has spent N192.96 billion on the implementation of its Maternal and Child Cash Transfer (MCCT) programme between November 2021 and June 2022.

Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Rehabilitation Board, Dr Ibrahim Rabakaya, revealed this on Wednesday in Kano during a three-day validation of Kaduna State’s Graduation Youth-Focused Social Protection programme.

According to Rabakaya, the programme was introduced in 2021 based on the successes of the cash transfer programme that was implemented in the state by a Non-Governmental Organisation, Action Against Hunger (AAH).

He said the MCCT programme is targeted at 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 32,000, N4,000 monthly from November 2021 to June 2022, amounting to N183.68 billion.

“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 programme as social behavioural change communication; Infant and young child feeding promotion at health facilities; and maternal, infant, and young child nutrition.

He added there was also the sensitisation of religious, traditional and community leaders on moringa planting and utilisation.

Rabakaya said that the MCCT programme 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 programme on the beneficiaries at the end of the programme.

“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 organisation equally supported the training of Grievance Redress Officers and other stakeholders on accountability, sexual exploitation, abuse and fraud,” he said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Kaduna state graduation youth-focused social protection programme was designed to tackle youth unemployment.