Katsina Partners With ECOWAS To Support 14,694 Vulnerable People

Katsina Partners With ECOWAS To Support 14,694 Vulnerable People

The Katsina State Government, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States, has finalised arrangements to assist no fewer than 14,694 vulnerable people across all 34 local government areas of the state.

The initiative is designed to alleviate the challenges faced by those in dire need, particularly displaced victims of crises.

The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, announced this on Friday while speaking at the official launch of phase two of the World Food Programme Stabilisation Project in Katsina.

Radda outlined the state’s initiatives in addressing the needs of vulnerable families, noting that “Katsina is one of the few states that has domesticated the federal government’s approach to supporting vulnerable and poor households, following the establishment of the Katsina Social Investment Programme Agency, which coordinates the state’s operating unit and cash transfer unit.”

He reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting victims of banditry, cattle rustling, and kidnapping, as well as providing empowerment programmes for widows and other vulnerable individuals.

“I want to express gratitude to the ECOWAS Commission, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, and the World Food Programme for their invaluable contributions to the project,” Radda stated.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Enitan, disclosed that a total of 14,694 vulnerable people from Katsina and Sokoto states would benefit from the second phase of the project.

He noted that the initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda and acknowledged the support of development partners and the Katsina State Government.

The Nigerian Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Nuhu Musa, highlighted that the World Food Programme is one of the many initiatives undertaken by ECOWAS to positively impact the lives of citizens. “The organisation has diverse interventions in health, education, and infrastructure across member states,” he added.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director of the State Social Investment Programme Agency, Dr Mudasir Nasir, disclosed that “7,347 vulnerable and elderly people from Katsina and Jibia local governments would benefit from the humanitarian programme. Of this number, 1,675 would receive cash support, 1,414, including pregnant women, would be provided with food, and 150 disabled individuals and elderly people would receive assistance,” Nasir added.