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Umar Farouq Counts Gains As 5000 Receive FG Rural Women’s Cash Grant In Abuja

Published

5 years ago

January 21, 2021

Joel Ajayi

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq says that the Federal government’s various National Social Investment Programmes NSIP has impacted greatly on the poor and vulnerable in the country.

The minister made the remark at the launch of the Federal Government Special Cash Grant for Rural Women held today Thursday, January 21, 2021, at the Cyprian Ekwensi Center for Arts and Culture, Garki, Abuja.

She said that since its introduction in 2016, more than 12 million households have benefitted from NSIP interventions including the payment of a monthly Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of N5,000.00 to 1 million indigent households to protect them against economic shocks and elevate them out of poverty.

“We just launched the Covid-19 Rapid Response Register which will provide cash transfer to additional 1 million poor urban households. Also, 1,092,405 micro and small business owners accessed loans to boost productivity, increase income and reduce poverty under the Government Enterprise Enhancement Programme (GEEP).

“The N-Power programme provides temporary income-generating opportunities for 500,000 unemployed youths while 8,612,457 primary 1-3 pupils in select public schools are receiving 1 meal per day under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme. These programs are being restructured and revamped to respond to peculiarities of different parts of the country and ensure that the right beneficiaries are targeted and impacted”.

Minister Umar Farouq noted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration has paid more attention to promoting the plight of the poor and vulnerable in the country as $1billion is being earmarked annually to cause positive changes in the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in the country.

“In view of this, President Buhari has graciously approved the expansion of NSIP to touch more lives and lift more Nigerians above the poverty breadline. Our target in FCT is to disburse the grant to about 5,000 beneficiaries across the 6 Area Councils. The grant is expected to increase the income and productive assets of target beneficiaries. It is our hope that the beneficiaries of this programme will make good use of the grant to generally contribute towards improving their living standard”.

Responding, the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu Tijjani commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating NSIP as a strategy for enhancing social inclusion and bringing succor to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable households.

“The NSIP has contributed positively to Nigeria’s quest to win the war against acute poverty especially at a time the country and the global community are striving to recover from the economic difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The launch of this program is a bold statement that the government is ready to do all that is necessary to fight the global economic downturn and put in place shocks to withstand future eventualities”.

Dr. Ramatu Tijani Aliyu also thanked the Minister of Humanitarian affairs for her zeal and determination towards the realization of the people-oriented programme.

A symbolic disbursement of N20,000 was made to 20 beneficiaries by Minister Umar Farouq to flag off the program, while 5,000 beneficiaries from six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory will also receive a one-off cash grant of N20,000 each.

In attendance were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Bashir Nura Alkali, the Director Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji Grema Ali, the Secretary FCT Social Development Secretariat Mr. Kelvin O. Ike, and other management staff of both ministries.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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