Ecobank partners FG, Akwa Ibom on MDGs fund disbursement

In line with its commitment to alleviate poverty in Africa, Ecobank has partnered Federal Government and Akwa Ibom State on the disbursement of Millennium Development Goals MDGs/Family Life Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Scheme.

In his message at the disbursement of N375 million to 2,275 benefiting households in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State recently, Jibril Aku, managing director, Ecobank, said the bank was poised to consolidate its existing partnership with the federal and state governments in all parts of the country, adding that it was with a view to ensuring that all beneficiaries of the MDGs – CCT Scheme had equal opportunity to financial services such as micro-savings and micro-loans.

Aku, who was represented by Kingsley Umadia, executive director, South South/South East, further said that “the partnership is clearly in line with our mission to provide customers with financial products and services that are convenient, reliable and accessible.”

The bank is running the programme on the Ecobank MobileMoney platform, he said, noting that wallets had been created for the beneficiaries and disbursement of funds into their wallets monthly on instructions from the office of the senior special assistant to the President on MDGs.

Also speaking, Valerie Ebe, deputy governor, Akwa Ibom State, said the participation of the state in the MDGs – CCT scheme was targeted at eradicating poverty in the state, restating the state government’s commitment and determination to improving maternal health and reducing child mortality in the nooks and crannies of the state.

On her part, Precious Gbeneol, senior special assistant to the President on MDGs, explained that the scheme is a component of the social safety net of the Federal Government aimed at improving the lives of the extreme poor in the country.

According to her, “it is a community driven development approach designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability. It entails providing a monthly stipends of N5,000 to the extreme poor households on the condition that children of basic school age in those households attend school, while pregnant women in the households attend hospital for full antenatal care.”

She emphasised that the objectives of the scheme in Akwa Ibom State were in tandem with the vision of the Family Life Enhancement Initiative of the wife of the governor, explaining that five local government areas with the highest poverty index in the state were selected for the scheme, while five wards in each of the local governments were also selected for the benefiting households.