The National Social Investment Programmes (SIPs), comprising the N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer, Home-Grown School Feeding Market Moni, Trader-Moni, among others are getting legal empowerment.
This followed the passage through second reading of a Bill for an Act to provide a legal framework for establishment of National Social Investment Programmes for the Assistance and Empowerment of the Poor and Vulnerable in Nigeria by the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
The proposed legislation is to also establish the National Social Investment Programmes Coordination Office within the Federal Ministry Responsible for Social Development to Manage the implementation of the Programmes and National Social Investments Trust Fund to Alleviate Poverty among Vulnerable Nigerian Citizens.
The programmes are targeted at the aged, unemployed and students.
Sponsored by the speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, deputy speaker, Ahmed Idris-Wase, Mansur Soro (APC, Bauchi) and 9 others, the bill seeks to establish a Trust Fund with effective governing board and management team to administer and co-ordinate the implementation of social investment programme.
The other aim of the bill is to “ensure the attainment of the objectives of the programmes. Facilitate the realisation of socio-economic security and welfare of the people as the primary purpose of government.
“Ensure justice, equity and fairness in the distribution and disbursement of benefits among targeted beneficiaries irrespective of geographical location, sex, ethnic, religious or tribal considerations. Facilitate effective inter-governmental relationship in the administration of the programmes”.
The bill proposed for the direct deduction of 15 percent aggregate of the Value Added Tax (VAT) collected monthly for the purpose of funding the noble programmes.
