SIPs Empower 12.85m Nigerians – FG

• 6.1m families on NSR

BY COBHAM NSA, ABUJA – The Federal Government says over 12.85 million Nigerians are currently benefiting from the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs), even as it warned that hard times now await saboteurs of programme.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, stated this in Abuja, assuring that the SIPs introduced in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC)’s administration will achieve their set goals of reducing poverty in Nigeria.

Speaking while flagging off the National Social Investments Office (NSIO)/Independent Corrupt Practices and related offences Commission (ICPC) partnership on checking corruption in the SIPs’ implementation, Hajiya Farouq said the collaboration is in line with the President’s vision of kicking corruption and other forms of sharp practices out of Nigeria.

According to her, the partnership is targeted at fishing out and bringing to book individuals or groups whose activities are out to sabotage Federal Government’s at reducing extreme poverty in the country.

Giving further insight on the SIPs, the Minister said happily all the “programmes have recorded resounding successes, directly impacting the lives of over twelve million Nigerians, with several millions of indirect beneficiaries, whose living standards have significantly improved through the value of chain created by the various Social Protection Initiatives.”

She stated that; “On their individual level, there are over 548,000 graduate and non-graduate beneficiaries under the N-Power; while Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has over 9.8 million beneficiaries; Government Enterprise & Empowerment Programme (GEEP) being coordinated by the Bank of Industry, has over 2.1 million beneficiaries from TraderMoni; MarketMoni; and FarmerMoni; and Conditional Cash Transfer initiative has almost 400,000 beneficiaries.”

The Minister, who admitted the near suffocating nature of poverty in Nigeria, said quite disturbing are reports that over 120 million Nigerians would be living in extreme poverty by year 2030.

She said government’s resolve to address this ugly development informed its decision to establish the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in 2016 to coordinate and supervise all components of the social protection programme.

Listed among the SIPs are: The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP); Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP); N-Power; and the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP).

Hajiya Farouq said; “To achieve the task of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years in line with Mr President’s directive, we must as a ministry ensure that all our poverty alleviation strategies and programmes remained strengthened and devoid of infractions that could undermine ongoing efforts to empower our poor and vulnerable citizens.

“This is why this collaborative engagement between NSIO and ICPC is crucial as it aims to prevent and eliminate third party corruption in the National Social Investment Programme N-SIP.”

In her remarks, Special Adviser to the President on SIPs, Mrs Mariam Uwais, disclosed that over 6.1 million households have so far been captured on the National Social Register.

Mrs Uwais, who hinted that ICPC is assisting NSIO to track and sanction those engage in fraudulent practices under the programmes, said noticeable loopholes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have however been blocked.

Admitting that there are still challenges concerning the programmes in some states of the Federation, the Presidential aide said conscious efforts are on to effectively tackle such issues. 

On his part, the ICPC Chairman, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, said individuals involved in fraudulent practices and diverting SIPs’ funds into private pockets are being tracked and will soon have their day as guests of the Commission.

He said the ICPC will not relent in its efforts to sanitise the programmes by working to determine whether  the criminal elements within the system are linked with workers in the NSIO’s structure.

Prof Owasanoye gave assurance that the collaboration is already planning massive campaigns to sensitise Nigerians and transparently lay bare all the public needs to know about the SIP programmes across the country.