The 18 local government councils in Ondo State have commenced the payment of N20,000 monthly stipends to 5,400 residents aged 70 years and above under a welfare scheme targeting vulnerable senior citizens.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Amidu Takuro, disclosed this on Monday in Akure, the state capital.
Takuro said each local government had identified at least 300 elderly residents as beneficiaries of the programme, which is aimed at providing regular financial assistance and easing the economic burden on senior citizens.
He added that the councils were considering expanding the scheme to cover more elderly residents.
He said, “They are providing a stipend to at least 300 aged people of 70 years and above in their respective local governments.
“They are paying them a minimum of N20,000 monthly, and they are planning to even increase that number.”
The commissioner said the initiative was part of broader efforts by the councils to improve the welfare of residents and tackle poverty across the state.
He also disclosed that the councils had introduced empowerment programmes targeting youths and women, with the aim of improving their economic independence.
According to Takuro, the youth empowerment initiative is being implemented monthly, with beneficiaries selected based on their capacity to invest the support in productive activities.
He said women were also being prioritised because of their contributions to household welfare and community development.
The commissioner further disclosed that the councils were increasing their support for farmers through the distribution of agricultural inputs.
He said some local governments had commenced the distribution of cocoa and palm seedlings, fertilisers and other farm inputs to residents.
Takuro explained that the state government was working on a coordinated agricultural support system across the 18 councils to prevent duplication and ensure that interventions reflected the specific needs of farmers in each area.
Under the proposed arrangement, he said, each local government would determine the quantity and type of agricultural inputs required by farmers within its jurisdiction.
The commissioner said the coordinated approach would help improve the effectiveness of government interventions and boost agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of farmers across Ondo State.