NEWS
NSIP: FG Recruits, Trains 7,452 Independent Monitors, Distributes Tablets
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), said it had employed and trained 7,452 Independent Monitors to ensure effective implementation and monitoring of the integrated National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP) across the country.
The Minister, FMHADMSD, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, disclosed this at inauguration of the training and onboarding of 3000 Stream 2 Independent Monitors of the N-SIP in Lokoja at the weekend.
The Minister, who was represented by her Special Assistant on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mrs Bilikisu Dauda-Damisa, said the training and onboarding of Stream 2 Independent Monitors was flagged off June 9, 2022, in Abuja.
She noted that the Stream l, had 4,452 Independent Monitors trained and enrolled in February and March 2021, while Stream ll had 3000, totaling 7, 452 Independent monitors across the country.
Umar-Farouq added that the Ministry had provided working tools in the form of Tablets for them to carry out their monitoring activities on the field.
She said the NSIP was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 with the mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty through a number of Social Interventions.
According to her, the NSIP include: Job Creation – NPOWER, National Home-Grown School Feeding (NHGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
She said that since NSIP commenced in 2016, over one million youths had been employed under Npower, two million beneficiaries under CCT, 10 million pupils under HGSFP and 230,000 under the GEEP intervention programmes.
She said the Independent Monitors are responsible for monitoring the NSIPs in their various communities in schools, households, and market clusters with the focus of ensuring that its primary objectives were achieved.
”Monitors are one of the most important components of the NSIP and the Ministry lays special emphasis on ensuring its programmes are closely monitored.
”We have monitors in every local government area, where the NSIPs are being implemented,” she said.
She urged the independent monitors to work hand in hand with the state NSIP team, and cautioned them against intimidation or harassment of beneficiaries.
”Any Independent Monitor found intimidating or harassing a beneficiary will be taken off the programme.
”Be informed that we have officials of the EFCC and DSS working with us on this programme, and those found culpable will be handed over to relevant authorities,” she said.
The minister urged the participants to use the resources and working tools given to them judiciously.
Earlier, the state’s Focal Person of N-SIP, Mr Suleiman Onyekehi, said the social intervention programmes had achieved a tremendous success in alleviating poverty in the state.
Onyekehi, who doubles as the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects, said 177,000 out of the total 258,000 enrolled pupils from Primary 1 to 3, were currently being fed, and over 3000 cooks recruited in the state.
He appealed to the federal government for improvement in budgetary allocation of N70 per child, saying inflation rate had rendered the N70 inadequate to feed a child.
He added that over 74,000 CCT beneficiaries currently receiving N10,000 each bi-monthly; over 26,000 Npower beneficiaries of both Batch C, Stream 1 & 2; and 7,000 shortlisted for disbursement under GEEP across the state.
He noted Kogi now had about 100 independent monitors spread across the state with critical roles to play, urging them to ensure total collaboration with the state NSIP team.
He disclosed that the State Government had recently disengaged over 100 cooks who defaulted in one way or the other against the national rules and guidelines.
Onyekehi added that the process for their replacement were currently ongoing, saying many more cooks would be recruited to cater for the enrolled 258,000 pupils across the state.
He assured that the Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, operated open governance accessible to all, and committed to transparency and accountability.
On his part, the state Coordinator of the Independent Monitors, Adam Imam, commended the federal government for the initiative in using independent monitors for N-SIP activities which he said, had ensured effective monitoring and followups.
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President Chief Ajuri Ngelale has quit his job. He said in a statement in a Abuja that he would proceed on an ” indefinite leave, to deal with ” medical matters” affecting him amd hia immediate family.Hos statement reads: “On Friday, I submittd a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.
While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and family”
By David Torough, Abuja
About 1000 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), under the auspices of Coalition Of Civil Society Organisations (CCSOs), on Saturday Faults President Bola Tinubu’s Economic Team and called for immediate reconstitution.Expressing deep concerns over the state of the economy and escalating fuel prices compounding the hardship of Nigerians despite the recent protest, the groups said Tinubu must act now to avert disintegration.
The groups said the current situation across the country has cast doubt on the competence of the Tinubu economic team and called for urgent review. The CCSOs in a statement by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Mohammed, pointed out that the plight of Nigerians is sinking low and their patience is wearing off following the deteriorating economy.The statement reads in part, “The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is deeply concerned about the deteriorating state of the Nigerian economy, which is becoming increasingly unbearable for millions of citizens.“It is evident that the recent hike in fuel prices and the unstable exchange rate are the direct results of economic mismanagement by those responsible for overseeing our nation’s financial policies. The ripple effects of these failures are being felt in every household across the country, worsening poverty and crippling economic activity.“The floating of the Naira, which was initially sold to Nigerians as a means of stabilizing our currency, has done little to prevent the continued devaluation of the Naira. In fact, the exchange rate disparity has widened significantly, with the Naira losing value daily, impacting the cost of living, basic commodities, and inflation.“While this policy was expected to ease foreign exchange pressure, it has instead deepened economic challenges due to poor implementation and lack of strategic foresight.”The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as a death trap of indebtedness of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which also they claimed had slowed down importation of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, hence the current shortage of PMS across the country. “Of equal concern is the precarious position of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which finds itself in a debt trap, with global suppliers of petroleum products losing confidence in Nigeria’s ability to honour its obligations.“Reports have shown that NNPCL has accrued debts totalling over $6 billion, causing petrol supply shortages. International suppliers are now reluctant to continue providing fuel on credit, exacerbating supply chain issues and pushing up the price of petrol at the pump”, they claimed.The CSOs also asserted that, “We hold the managers of the Nigerian economy responsible for these disturbing developments. Their inability to provide sound policies and long-term solutions has left the nation in this predicament.“It is clear that there is no cohesive strategy to address the rising debt, the growing imbalance in the foreign exchange market, or the country’s heavy reliance on importation for petrol supply. The recent hike in fuel prices reflects the collapse of responsible economic management and accountability.“Nigerians are left to bear the brunt of these failures. Businesses are shutting down, transportation costs have skyrocketed, and citizens are spending an increasingly larger percentage of their income on basic necessities. This state of affairs is unacceptable.”The group therefore placed some demands; Immediate intervention from the government: There needs to be a comprehensive and transparent plan to stabilize the Naira, restore confidence in the petroleum supply chain, and negotiate a restructuring of NNPC’s debts to ensure continuous fuel supply.“Accountability for economic mismanagement: Those responsible for the reckless management of our foreign exchange policies and NNPC’s debts must be held accountable. The government must also disclose its plan to mitigate the rising fuel costs and economic burden on Nigerians.“A return to sound financial policy: The floating of the Naira has proven ineffective under current conditions. We call for a re-evaluation of monetary and fiscal policies to stabilize the economy, reduce inflation, and attract foreign investment.“In conclusion, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations reiterates that without immediate corrective measures, the economic situation will continue to deteriorate, leading to further hardship for the average Nigerian. The government must act decisively and responsibly to reverse this downward spiral”, they added.
There is growing tension in Ugondu community, Makurdi LGA, Benue state by young people opposed to the demolition of houses and destruction of rice farms in the area allegedly on the directives of senior Air Force officer, Air Commodore Akinbuwa Ayodele.
It was learnt that Commodore Ayodele, who is facing multiple legal actions following dispute over a plot of land located on George Akume Way Makurdi and owned in blatant disregard to the judicial process embarked on destruction of structures on the plot.
Eyewitness said when the equipment arrived no one imagined it was for destruction.
But in a militray- like operation, two flats of two units each, completely roofed, electrified and plumbing work completed were among the structures demolished as the bulldozers rolled over rice farms in the vicinity as well.
It was learnt that last year, a Makurdi High Court presided by Justice Mary Ijohor, granted an order of perpetual injunction, in the same matter, upon application by the supposed owner of the plot and awarded the sum of One Million Naira (N1,000,000.00) only, as cost. The matter, enforcement of fundamental rights, was marked as MHC/582/M/2023.
Godwin Akor whose rice farm was destroyed in a chat with newsmen said that he was shocked at the development. He however said he won’t speak more on the matter as it is still before the court.
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