23,000 Ogun residents benefit from Renewed Hope cash transfer card distribution

No fewer than 23,000 residents across the 20 local government areas of Ogun State have benefitted from the ongoing distribution of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer cards, aimed at supporting economic recovery and reducing poverty nationwide.

Speaking during a monitoring exercise in Ikenne Local Government, the Ogun State Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Hon. Olufunmilayo Efuwape, said the initiative is one of the Federal Government’s key programmes to cushion the effects of economic hardship.

Hon. Efuwape disclosed that 754 ATM-loaded cards were allocated to beneficiaries in Ikenne Local Government. She advised recipients to make prudent use of the funds, encouraging them to channel the support into productive ventures. She further urged those yet to receive their cards to remain patient, assuring them that they would benefit once their names appeared on the social register.

At Odogbolu Local Government, the State Programme Manager, Mrs Funmi Baker, explained that the distribution was being carried out in phases. She noted that 13,000 cards had already been issued across the state before the current exercise, while an additional 10,000 cards were made available for distribution across all 20 councils. Of these, 724 cards were designated for Odogbolu Local Government.

Mrs Baker added that beneficiary selection was handled by the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU), based on established criteria. She further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu expanded the intervention, increasing the monthly support from ₦5,000 to ₦25,000, to be paid in tranches totalling ₦75,000 per beneficiary.

Chairmen of Ikenne and Odogbolu local governments, Hon. Asimi Jamiu and Dr Diya Babatunde – represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Mr Awobutu Victor – commended both the Federal and State governments for their efforts. They noted that the cash transfer programme had boosted local economic activities and urged beneficiaries to view the support as a grant that could enhance and expand their businesses.

Beneficiaries including Mr Adewunmi Ezekiel, Mrs Ogunfowora Titilayo, Mrs Aregbesola Rashidat and Mrs Kadijatat Alimi expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Dapo Abiodun for prioritising the welfare of the vulnerable. They assured that the financial support would be used to strengthen their small businesses and improve their livelihoods.