BY BLESSING NKEREUWEM, ABUJA – Moving to rejig activities in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to align with his ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda, President Bola Tinubu has named Badamasi Lawal as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Lawal replaces the former NSIPA boss, Halima Shehu, who was suspended on 2nd January 2024 over financial malfeasance allegations.
Lawal’s emergence as NSIPA’s substantive helmsman comes about seven months after the National N-POWER Program Manager, Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, was appointed in acting capacity pending the conclusion of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
The fresh appointment for NSIPA comes alongside that of new hands also picked by the Presidency to take charge of other relevant agencies under the Humanitarian Ministry.
Announcing the appointments in Abuja on Tuesday, Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale said President Tinubu has okayed seven individuals to man agencies under the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Ministry.
A statement signed by Ngelale stated thus; “To facilitate the needed relief to Nigerians and ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian and social development programmes, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of seven qualified Nigerians to head strategic agencies and programmes under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development”.
Ngelale listed the appointees as the Programme Manager, National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office, Funmilola Olotu; Programme Manager, Grant for Vulnerable Groups, Aishat Alubankudi; and Programme Manager, Home Grown School Feeding, Princess Aderemi Adebowale.
Others are the Programme Manager, National Cash Transfer Office, Abdullahi Alhassan Imam; Executive Secretary, National Commission for People with Disabilities, Ayuba Gufwan; and the Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Lami Binta Adamu Bello.
According to the statement; “The President expects the new heads of these critical agencies and programmes to discharge the functions of their offices with utmost integrity and diligence so as to ensure that Nigerians, especially vulnerable groups, are the exclusive and direct beneficiaries of his administration’s reconfigured welfare programmes”.
The Presidential Spokesman further stated that these fresh appointment are meant to facilitate the needed relief to Nigerians and ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian and social development programmes of the President Tinubu-led administration.
With the latest development, insiders within the Ministry said the doors may have been closed tightly against the return of suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu to her former position.
Reports had indicated strong likelihood of Edu’s reinstatement by the President with sources hinting that she might have been cleared of alleged corruption charges by the anti-graft Agency directed to probe the ministry under her watch.
Aside from suspending Halima Shehu as NSIPA’s Chief Executive and suspending all programmes under it, President Tinubu had also constituted a ministerial panel to conduct a review of the Agency’s operations with a view to recommending necessary reforms for effective service delivery.
