By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is currently taking steps for an intervention to assist those in the urban and semi urban areas that are economically impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic.
The plan will be executed under the Rapid Response Register ( RRR) according to a statement from the Communication desk Office of the state Operations Coordinating Unit ( SOCU) who coordinates the activities of the Federal Ministry in Delta State, domiciled in the State Ministry of Economic Planning.
The statement revealed 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 Semi Urban high density locations and or slums impacted by COVID 19
The statement further said that low income earners involved in the informal sector, who might have lost their income opportunities would be eligible for registration into the Rapid Response Register adding that the RRR was an intervention by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development centered on urban and Semi Urban areas that were economically impacted by COVID 19 pandemic
Those who fall into the register targets include small business owners, street vendors, petty traders, hospitality industry, Workers ,low wage employees and families Including daily wage based labourers. While others are the urban poor and destitute persons among others as it revealed that over one million households across the 36 states and the FCT will be targeted and enrolled through this new COVID 19 Rapid Response Register of beneficiaries with a focus in Urban and Semi Urban areas..But Delta State Government in a statement signed by the State permeant Secretary, Ministry of Information Mr Paul Osahor, a copy made available to our correspondent said every household captured in the register will be paid N5,000 monthly for an initial period of six months start upon receipt of their first monthly stipend after they can no longer benefit from the project once they had been paid their monthly stipends for the stipulated project periods. Osahor explained that ten local government areas were selected in Delta State to participate in the COVID 19 Rapid Response Register intervention, adding that the local government areas: Bomadi, Ethiope West, Ika North East and Ndokwa East , Ughelli South, Warri North and Warri South Local Government Area among others adding that the projects would enhanced the living of the people in the areas
