By; DAHIRU SULEIMAN, Dutse
Plans have reached an advanced stage towards opening bank accounts for the registered 5,000 pregnant women by the Jigawa State Government as monthly stipends for antenatal care.
This is captured under initial take-off of the monthly cash transfer in line with federal government’s social security intervention programme.
This was disclosed by the Jigawa State Deputy Governor, Alh Umar Namadi while briefing Newsmen in his office in Dutse.
According to him, the government has captured the programme in its 2021 and 2022 budgets but was faced with some challenges during the process of opening accounts for the beneficiaries.
Malam Umar Namadi explained that the programme is aimed at encouraging rural women to attend antenatal, hospital delivery and postnatal.
He said the 5,000 Naira monthly stipend is expected to assist the beneficiaries to buy required food towards enhancing their nutrition and that of their children to avoid being victims of malnutrition.
The Deputy Governor noted that out of the 5,000 beneficiaries, the government has succeeded in opening the bank accounts for 3,800.
He said the state government has resolved to commence the payment from February, adding that they would continue working with banks and relevant agencies to resolve the problems of the remaining 1,200 beneficiaries.
Namadi noted that those whose problems can’t be resolved would be replaced with other pregnant women with requisite criteria.
He said the beneficiaries were selected from 287 political wards to pilot the programmr and the number could be increased after assessing the impact.Â
He however, assured the beneficiaries that the money has been appropriated in the 2022 budget and that the government would not renegade on its determination to use necessary procedures and mechanism to tackle the high rate of maternal and child death in the state.
