Social development programmes created to lift Nigerians out of poverty – Minister

Hajiya Umaru Faruk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has said that the Federal Government National Social Investment Program (NSIP) was created to lift Nigerians out of poverty.

The minister identified social interventions of the Federal Government to include  N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), Home Grown School Feeding Programs (HGSFP), as well as Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP).

She explained that Independent Monitors were responsible for monitoring of federal government’s social development programs in various communities, including schools, households, market clusters to ensure success of the programs.

The minister was represented at the occasion by Mrs Chinenye Nwabuogu, a director in the Ministry.

She said the federal government had earlier flagged off  stream 1 of Independent Monitors in Abuja, where 4,454 persons were trained and equipped to carry out their assignment.

While describing the program as a very important component arm of NSIP, the minister hinted on the need for closer and adequate monitoring to ensure success.

She advised the trainees to listen attentively during the training,  warned them against engaging in any act of misconduct.

“No intimidation of beneficiaries by independent monitors would be accepted.

“You must be fair in your monitoring and ensure that you don’t sabotage the program,” she said.

She noted that both the officials of DSS and EFCC are working with the program organizers, adding that any independent monitor found culpable will be handed over to relevant authorities.

In her remark, Mrs  Rabiuo Ibrahim, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in Imo, said that the programme being introduced by the Federal Government was designed to uplift the people out of poverty.

She advised the independent monitors to use the opportunity of training to acquire the necessary knowledge that would help them to execute the program.

She assured of government’s readiness to help in the implementation  of the program after training to ensure success.

The commissioner thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his initiative in creating the program aimed at impacting positively in the lives of the people.

She equally thanked the minister whom she said had brought a lot of change in the Ministry since the program was introduced.

She commended Gov. Hope Uzodimma for domesticating the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in the state.