Members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives on Wednesday vehemently frowned at the discriminatory implementation of Federal Government’s social intervention programmes (SIPs) barely two years to the end of the four-year term of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
The concerned lawmakers specifically called for thorough investigation into the utilisation of the sum of N41,714,293,000 allegedly spent across the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the implementation of different aspects of the four SIPs.
The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Bode Ayorinde, who emphasised the need for the lower chamber to appraise the modalities of implementation of the SIPs with the view to ensure value for money.
Other lawmakers who spoke in favour of the motion including: Leo Ogor, minority leader; Ossai Nicholas Ossai and Abdulrazak Namdas, emphasised the need for the present administration to ensure nationwide coverage of the scheme.
Ayorinde, who acknowledged the laudable rationale behind the people-oriented programmes, which have impacted positively on the lives of millions of citizens in some states of the federation, however decried the adoption selective implementation.
The lawmaker who faulted Federal Government’s claim of serving not less than 25 million meals as at the end of April, 2017, decried that only seven states have so far been covered, thereby neglecting other states of the federation.
“At the celebration of the regime’s two years in office, the Federal Government was ‘thumped up’ on its dedication to the programmes in terms of time, resources and energy already invested on the programmes.
“The Federal Government’s claim that the SIP is largest social intervention effort anywhere in the world and it has also acknowledged that even though Nigeria recorded some growth level of about seven percent in its economy due to rising oil prices, unemployment figure is still high, hence the direct intervention through SIP.
“The House is cognizant that the SIP have four elements: the Home Grown Schools Feeding Programme targeting 5.5 million primary school pupils in all the states of the federation.
“The job creation programme aimed at employing 500,000 graduates to be deployed in their communities to work as teachers, health support officers and agricultural officers and participants are to be paid N30,000 each.
“The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of N5,000 mouthy to extremely poor and vulnerable persons in the society, targeted at one million recipients for two years and the Enterprises Promotion Programme which is a loan facility of between N10,000 to N100,000 to 1.66 million people.
“The House further notes that at the end of April 2017, the Federal Government claimed to have spent N41,714,293,000 across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in implementing different aspects of the four SIPs and that not less than 25 million meals have been served under the national home-grown school feeding programme,” he noted.
To this end, the House urged Federal Government to implement one element of the SIPs at a time and ensure that each of the elements, when implemented, should cover all the 36 states of the federation in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice.
While ruling on the motion, Speaker Yakubu Dogara mandated the joint House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Labour, Employment and Productivity to liaise with the agency in charge of the SIPs with the view to ensure that the programmes are implemented in all federal constituencies.
KEHINDE AKINTOLA, Abuja
