Just In: Govt Begins N50,000 Cash Transfer to Specific People
- The Cross River State government started disbursing N50,000 each to 29,400 vulnerable residents under its Social Investment Programme
- The payments cover all 196 wards in the state, with 150 beneficiaries selected per ward under two separate components
- Some residents have not yet received their payments, with officials citing bank account and BVN discrepancies as the cause of delays
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The Cross River State government has begun paying N50,000 each to 29,400 vulnerable residents across the state as part of its Social Investment Programme (SIP), with disbursements already underway.
Dr Edem Okokon Effiom, the State Coordinator of the programme, confirmed the development in Calabar, saying payments started about five days ago and were still in progress.
Effiom said the scheme covers all 196 wards in Cross River State, with 150 beneficiaries selected from each ward. Of that number, 100 fall under the Conditional Cash Transfer component, targeting households in financial distress, while the remaining 50 are skilled individuals who need capital to start or grow a business.
How beneficiaries were selected
According to Effiom, the beneficiary register has been in development since June 2026. Those captured in the register were identified through religious and traditional institutions, women's groups, youth organisations and other community bodies, in a bid to reach people from different social and economic backgrounds.
He said the aim of the programme is to provide direct relief to vulnerable households while helping skilled residents who lack start-up capital to become self-sufficient. Effiom also clarified that the payments were being made by the Cross River State Government under Governor Bassey Otu's administration, following confusion caused by a similar cash transfer scheme circulating on social media.
He acknowledged, however, that the register was not yet complete, and that the government was continuing to build a more comprehensive database of residents in need.
Delays linked to BVN and account issues
On complaints from residents who had not yet received their money, Effiom attributed the hold-ups to errors in bank account details and Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs). He said officials were working to resolve the discrepancies so that all eligible beneficiaries could receive their payments.
While acknowledging that some recipients might consider the N50,000 amount modest, Effiom said the government intended to strengthen and expand the programme over time as its social investment efforts continued.
Source: Legit.ng
