The Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Investment today, engaged 206 independent monitors in Lagos State to track the various packages from the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) for the vulnerable members of the society in line with President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.
Speaking at the event for the distribution of engagement letters and Tablets to the trained independent monitors held in Lagos, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development , Sadiya Umar Farouq said the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 with the mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty through a number of social interventions.
She said the programmes include the job creation programme — N-POWER, National HomeGrown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT) and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
Farouq who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Bashir Nura Alkali said, ‘’We flagged off the training of 5000 Independent Monitors for the National Social Investment Programme in Abuja on Thursday 4th February 2021. The training was carried out across the Country from February 2021 to April 2021″.
‘’Today I am here to flag off the distribution of Engagement Letters and Devices for the Trained Independent Monitors in Lagos State. These Devices are equipped with an Application that will be used to report on monitoring activities of the trained Independent Monitors. Let me also say that all devices to be used for monitoring the programme are locally made in Nigeria and the Monitoring Application was designed by an indigenous Company.’’
Each Independent monitor is expected to monitor a designated number of beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programme, she said.
‘’They will be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000, and they must meet up to 80 per cent of their deliverables monthly to be eligible for their stipend,’’ she said.
The minister who warned the independent monitors not to assign their responsibilities to third parties added that every independent monitor will be held accountable by the ministry for the task given to them.
‘’The Ministry reserves the right to disengage an Independent Monitor for misconduct or noncompliance with set guidelines and directives. I hereby urge you to carry out this assignment with utmost sense of patriotism, diligence, and sincerity. We at the Ministry will not accept anything short of the set standards.
‘’The duration of your assignment is for one year, from June 2021 to May 2022,’’ she said.
In his remark, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-OIu represented by his Special Adviser on Housing Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka applauded the Federal Government for the commitment it has demonstrated forwards achieving the desired objective of the Programme which is geared to lift the vulnerable people out of poverty.
‘’I am happy to note that since the commencement of this programme in Lagos State over 6800 of our people have continued to benefit from regular cash transfer in four bi-monthly cycles under the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, ’’ he said.
While applauding the Federal Government, Minister and her team, Sanwo-Olu assured that the state government will continue to play its role and support the apex government to ensure
that Lagos State has its fair share of beneficiaries of the programme.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke charged the independent Monitors to ensure judicious use of the resources allocated to them.
Blessing Ejeagha
For:DD (Information)
25th June, 2021
