Zamfara Cash Transfer Unit Probes Non-Payment Of 10,000 Beneficiaries After Protest

The Zamfara unit of the National Cash Transfer Programme says it has started investigation into alleged non-payment of more than 10,000 cash transfer beneficiaries in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

More than 10,000 beneficiaries from 17 communities in the Local Government Area staged a protest on Thursday over alleged non-payment of their benefits since their enrolment in 2018.

The Training and Communication Officer of the unit, Mr Nasir Ja’afar, told newsmen in Gusau on Monday that the matter had already been channelled to the National Cash Transfer Office, Abuja.

He said, “We are aware of the uproar coming from communities in Tsafe Local Government Area over non-payment of the benefits.

“I am appealing to affected beneficiaries and communities to be patient as the issue has already been channelled to the National Cash Transfer Office, Abuja.”

A total of 130,000 poor and vulnerable households were enrolled into the National Cash Transfer Programme in Zamfara in a pilot scheme.

The pilot scheme covered Anka, Bungudu, Birnin-Magaji, Kaura-Namoda, Tsafe and Talata-Mafara local government areas.

The National Cash Transfer Programme is one of the social safety net programmes of the Federal Government.

The programme, conceived as part of the Federal Government’s larger growth and social inclusion strategies to address key social concerns, began in September 2016.

It is a component of the National Social Safety Nets Project supported by the World Bank to provide financial support for targeted poor and vulnerable households.