At least 8.4 million Nigerians will benefit from the Federal Government’s Social Intervention Project, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Protection Plan, Maryam Uwais, said on Saturday.
She gave the figure in Abuja during a workshop on the National Social Protection Policy Framework.
The workshop was attended by representatives of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies that have roles to play in the Federal Government’s Social Protection Programme.
Uwais explained that the special protection project was designed for delivery under five clearly defined programmes to restore livelihoods, economic opportunities and sustenance for the poor.
The workshop was organised to put final touch on the framework for the policy that the government is hoping to use to reduce poverty.
The Federal Government has budgeted N500 billion for the Social Protection Programmes in the 2016 budget and the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said “the target is to develop a policy that is comprehensive and all-inclusive”.
According to Uwais, the plan is being designed to include an effective monitoring and evaluation system.
The five core programmes of the government’s Social Protection Policy include N-Power meant to create jobs for graduates and non-graduates, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme for school pupils, the Cash Transfers, Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and the Stem Bursary Programme.
