–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike Sogbola:

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara has assisted over 3,000 street beggers with a token of N30,000 each in the last two months. 

This is part of his administration’s social protection scheme which has seen over 7,000 persons assisted in the last two months, in a total package of N384 million. 

The package involves disbursements to different categories of vulnerable persons, and it is aimed at lessening the ongoing economic hardship. 

The Borno State Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Nuhu Clark, who told journalists on Tuesday that though the government has already invested N384 million in the scheme, said the State Governor is not considering stopping it for now. 

Clark said 3,127 physically challenged persons; majority of whom were into street begging were amongst more than 7,000 persons given N30, 000across the state.

He said the scheme was aimed at preparing grounds for the enforcement of the government’s ban on street begging in the state.

The commissioner said that of the physically challenged, a total of 1,550 were crippled, 357 were lepers and 189 were deaf. 

He said this group had so far received financial support; with 1,037 blind persons slated to receive financial assistance during the official flag off of the scheme. 

He disclosed that apart from the 3,127 physically challenged persons from across the state enrolled into the scheme, another 2,862 youth from Maiduguri and Jere are being given N30,000 each monthly for six months.

Clark noted as part of the scheme, 1,092 petty traders in Mairi, a community in Maiduguri, had already been given N30,000 each.