Date: 2020-12-05

The commencement of payment of "Owo Arugbo", (money for the aged) in Patigi, Patigi Local Government Area of the state for the aged women and widows of 60 and above in Kwara state was no doubt another master stroke in the efforts of the current administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to take care of the poorest of the poor in the state.

Since he came on board, the governor, though a core Ilorin man, has not hidden his passion for all parts of the state including the northern part where he flagged off his governorship campaign after he was given the gubernatorial flag by his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), preparatory to the last general elections in the state.

According to keen political observes in the state, the governor’s frequent attention in Kwara North, which is the least on the ladder of electoral votes among the three senatorial districts, was due to his firm believe that the area was arguably far behind in developmental projects, hence his deliberate efforts to help Kwara North.

So, when Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq again went to Patigi last Monday to flag off the commencement of his Social Investment Programme, it was not a surprise to many.

The AbdulRazaq administration had in May this year earmarked the sum of N300m to fund the state’s social investment programmes targeted at the poorest of the poor, including the aged, the widow, and others at the lowest level of the economy.

Each beneficiary is entitled to N6000 and will be paid once in two months in the life of the present administration to support the beneficiaries across the state. Beneficiaries in other local governments of the state have also been slated to receive theirs as scheduled by the KWASSIP team.

"Owo Arugbo" is one of the four components of the KWASSIP, which has been designed to support poor and vulnerable families, petty traders, and young people at various levels.

At least 10,000 indigent 60-year-olds and above have been captured for the first phase of the anti-poverty measure. The KWASSIP team also disbursed N10,000 "Owo Isowo", another people-oriented scheme designed for petty traders. The showers of prayers and obvious joy on the faces of the beneficiaries were electrifying and could not but justify the decision of the governor and even encourage him to explore further means of taking care of the vulnerable people in the state.

The governor while addressing the beneficiaries said "This government will do whatever it takes to take care of the poorest of the poor in this state, and what we are doing today attests to that fact and also a fulfillment of my electoral promise.

"We are for everyone, and we are clearly different from the previous administrations in the state by every standard and I’m happy by now that the good people of Kwara state are feeling our positive impacts towards making lives much better for the residents. I just want to encourage you people to continue to pray for us so that we can do more to better the lots of the residents " In their response, beneficiaries of Owo Arugbo, the conditional cash transfer (CCT) component of the Kwara State Social Investment Programme praised the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration for fulfilling its promises to the vulnerable. Old and vulnerable people across Patigi Local Government area of Kwara State described the ongoing disbursement of conditional cash transfer (Owo Arugbo) to them as a first in the history of the state. Receiving the November/December cycle of the social safety, recipients said no administration had ever mapped out a deliberate strategy to reach out to the poor and vulnerable directly as was being done under the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration’s Kwara State Social Investment Programme. Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with newsmen in Patigi commended the state government for taking the bold step in alleviating their suffering and pleaded for its sustainability. Mayaki Gudugi of Patigi Ward four expressed delight on the gesture and promised that the money would be used judiciously. "I am very grateful for this money given to me. I thank the government for this gesture," he said. Aishatu Madu of Patigi Ward three said that the stipend would help to improve the standard of living of her family. Madu commended Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the initiative, saying that the gesture would be the first from the state government in history. She noted that the beneficiaries would remain grateful to the governor for providing succour for the aged and vulnerable. Another beneficiary, Alhaji Saadu Gomina from Lade Ward 2, urged the government to sustain the allowance in order to reduce poverty among the people of the state. "I am here to collect N6000 from the state. The government is helping us with this money. I want the governor to continue to give us this money till he leaves office. God will bless him," he told reporters. Also speaking, Mr Shehu Naibi, a beneficiary of trader money component "owo isowo, said he would inject the money into his petty business. Naibi, who received N10,000, hailed AbdulRazaq for the people-oriented programme. "I am a Chemist from Patigi Ward 2. I have collected N10,000 and this will help my business to grow. I appreciate the government. The government is doing well," he said. All rights reserved. This material and any other digital content on this platform may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, written or distributed in full or in part, without written permission from VANGUARD NEWS. UROWAYINO JEREMIAH View all posts by Urowayino Jeremiah ? vanguardpodcasts · in the news NEXT ARTICLE Related articles We will put additional satellites in space fg Need for action against online pests Whither the NDDC probe? Breaking: U.S. House passes historic bill to legalise marijuana Africa china in a journey of a score years NdaniTV Reveals the Cast for Its New Web Series GAME ON PDP urges INEC to ensure free, fair by-election in Zamfara, others Breaking court remands maina in prison custody Huawei Set To Participate At The Inaugural Cio Awards 2020 Our difficulties in Apapa traffic, port road reconstruction —Task Force Reckless driving increased after #EndSARS protests — FRSC #EndSARS: It will take Nigeria 50 years to recover from destructions, says FG Expired Nigeria satellites to be replaced soon Bread levy report an embarrassment to my government — Gov Bello ‘Nigerian Idol’ music reality TV show returns Nicodemus, 39, sets self, girlfriend ablaze in Benue Jihadists kill 25 soldiers in Mozambique’s restive north Saro-Wiwa: CSOs, natives, others call for environmental audit of Ogoniland Autochek launches seamless access to car financing Court orders arrest of Maina’s son, Faisal, summons his surety Top CIOs receive awards for deepening tech ecosystem Huawei Proposes To Build A Fully Digital It Ecosystem In Nigeria At Cio Awards 2020 ‘My brother was shot at Lekki Tollgate; LASUTH said he died from COVID-19 complications’ Will APC implode when Buhari quits in 2023? Ousted Ivory Coast president, Gbagbo, plans to return home this month MTN Y’ello Star finalists down to ten as four head home South-East should collapse all political parties into APC ? Ozobu GRAPHIC: Police sanction personnel for smashing driver’s head with wood over N200 Apalara Murder Mystery: Alfa Bisiriyu Apalara (1918-1953) Naira currency: Ajami must go Hope for border reopening Northern Elders, Ohanaeze, Afenifere don’t believe in one Nigeria – BALARABE New police law sets OND as minimum entry qualification Those working against Nigeria’s unity will not achieve their selfish interest ? Tinubu Equities halt losing trend, as 11Plc plans delisting Amazon in talks to buy podcast publisher Wondery ? Report Uganda presidential debate postponed indefinitely ENDSARS Protests Fallout: NGO urges governors to tackle poverty, illiteracy Stakeholders make case for staple food fortification Stopping the endless slaughter in borno Naira currency: Ajami must go Futility of shaming the shameless New levy’ll run automakers out of business — Innoson Stock market records new high as investors gain n299bn in one day Women in Tech: WITIN inducts 16-advisory board members Nollywood actress, Ferrari Okoro shoots 2 films, ‘I Wish", ‘Arinola’ Boboye, don, software expert, others for auto journalists workshop Biden taps Nigerian-born Wally Adeyemo as Deputy Treasury Secretary Ekiti ‘ll engage youths for tourism development — Fayemi Airopay expands fintech space, broadens cashless economy BREAKING: Nasarawa APC chairman’s killer arrested — Gov Sule Nigeria Air Task Force storms Sambisa Forest, kills scores of Boko Haram members My next ambition is to be Pastor or Nigeria’s president — Fayose Who said the Igbo hate Tinubu? The fun of completing an unfinished business with an ex Funke Feyisitan-Ladimeji appointed Executive Director, Coronation Merchant Bank Advertise With Us Prisca Nwaobodo emerges Miss Tourism Nigeria 2020 Victims’ families, hospitals threatened, bribed to keep sealed lips, #ENDSARS protester tells panel Kogi Ag. CJ pledges to cleanse Judiciary, enforce due process Mitsubishi launches virtual showroom in Nigeria Trump orders withdrawal of most US troops in Somalia The killers pretended to be labourers, says 24-yr-old survivor of Borno massacre Acknowledgements and gratitude 1 US intelligence chief says China ‘greatest threat to democracy worldwide’ FG to convert one million vehicles to run on autogas by 2021 As Seplat takes STEAM Education a STEP higher Be resilient, ICOMAA President urges resident doctors NEWS SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT VIDEOS RELATIONSHIPS POLITICS FORUM CONTACT US ADVERTISE WITH US PRIVACY POLICY © 2019 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria