-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA):
THE Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is rolling out Rapid Response Register (RRR), an intervention to assist those in the urban and semi-urban areas that are economically impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic.
A statement from the Communication Desk Office of the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU), who coordinate the activities of the federal ministry in Delta State, domicile in the State Ministry of Economic Planning, stated that the target group would include the urban poor and vulnerable population not yet supported through the existing National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP), non-traditional poor in urban and peri-urban high-density locations and/or slums impacted by COVID-19.
The statement also said the low-income earners involved in the informal sector who may have lost their income opportunities would be eligible for registration into the Rapid Response Register.
According to the the statement, the Rapid Response Register is an intervention by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, centred on urban and semi-urban areas that are economically impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic.
Those who fall into the register targets include small businesses owners, street vendors, petty traders, hospitality industry workers, low wage employees and families including daily wage- based labourers,
Others are the Urban poor and destitute – Person with Disabilities, vulnerable families in slum areas affected by the pandemic.
It revealed that at the very least, one million households total of million across the 36 states and the FCT will be targeted and enrolled through this new COVID-19 Rapid Response Registry of beneficiary with a focus in urban and semi-urban areas.
Those eligible for the RRR intervention are previously self-sustaining low income/daily wage earners many of whom have lost their stream of income because of the economic shocks of the pandemic.
It explained that the RRR is a short-term shock response measure linked to Covid-19 while the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme is a longer-term investment to graduate households out of extreme poverty
The statement indicated that every household captured in the register will be paid N5,000 monthly for an initial period of period of 6 months and that beneficiary’s six months start upon receipt of their first monthly stipend after they can no longer benefit from the project once they have been paid their monthly stipends for the stipulated project periods.
The statement further stated that, Geographical Satellite Remote Sensing Technology (GSRST) was deployed to locate urban poor wards and communities, indicating that this technology approach is integrated with the National Living Standard Survey assessments and big data analysis platform to enhance accuracy and precision.
According to the statement, 10 local government areas are selected in Delta State to participate in the Covid-19 RRR intervention. The LGAs are Bomadi, Ethiope West, Ika North East, and Ndokwa East.
Others are Oshimili North, Patani, Udu, Ugheli South, Warri North and Warri South Local Government Areas. Also, a total of 10 Wards were selected from the LGAs, with a projected number of 104 communities.
The statement stated that for every identified community, bulk SMS/USSD will be disseminated to subscribers in that area to apply for the programme. The SMS will provide a clear guidance on how people can apply to be registered in few simple steps.
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The statement also indicated that there is no payment involved whatsoever. Those targeted for the RRR will register free of charge and are not required to pay any fee at any point and that to qualify for the government’s intervention each individual/household head must have passed validation checks that establish the impact of the pandemic on their means of sustenance.
The statement also said that, with the phased approach beginning on the 24th May, 2021, two states each per geo-political zone will first rollout the registration, with Delta and Bayelsa States from South Soith Zone commencing from 24th – 31st May.
The statement read in parts:“Those selected in these communities will then receive a text messages with USSD codes that would be sent to them that would allow them to register, so as to be considered for the Federal Government’s Covid-19 Cash Assistance”.
While calling on the people from the selected communities to avail themselves the opportunity to be registered in the exercise, the state coordination officer also solicits the assistance of elites within these communities to further enlighten the potential beneficiaries by not rejecting the offer due fear of fraudsters.
It called on the public to support the intervention, and said individual could call the Delta State SOCU unit of the State Ministry of Economic Planning, with telephone number 07048487142 to channel all inquiries.
