The Senate on Tuesday began moves to transfer the National Social Investment Program Agency from the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to the presidency.
It said that the action would ensure effective management and implementation of the National Social Investment Programme.
Sponsor of the Bill, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele argued that amending Sections 9 (3); 14 (1), 21 (1),22 (1), 26 (1) and 33 of the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act follows the commitment of the renewed Hope Mantra of the President, Bola Tinubu, in ensuring that the Social Investment Programme remains standard, transparent, effective and accountable.
Senator Opeyemi also stressed that the transfer will put the agency under the direct supervision of the President.
He added that the move is in fulfillment of Section 17 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which provides that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that all citizens, without discrimination, have the opportunity of securing adequate means of livelihood and ensuring provision is made in deserving cases or conditions of need among others
The Lawmaker says With this amendment a wide range of Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, including poverty reduction, education, health, social inclusion and empowerment, can be achieved through the NSIPA
In his contribution the Senator representing Yobe North, Ahmed Lawan, pointed out that the Ninth Senate passed the bill, though its implementation was flawed because those who should be given the support who are in the rural areas are difficult to reach.
According to him, “in achieving Social inclusion, monies would be distributed, but they have no bank account
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He added that the National Assembly must participate fully to ensure the capturing of the beneficiaries that need the support from the program.
In his contribution, Senator Seriake Dickson urged the lawmakers to use the opportunity to look at other issues raised during its implementation by the last administration.
He added the amendment should include the mode of selecting the poor and vulnerable captured
He says government in the past had initiatives like trader moni and COVID palliatives without parliament approval.
He added that recommendations should be made
At the committee level, how the programs are spread across the local governments
The Senate president expeditiously referred the bill to committee of the whole house to be considered on the next legislative day, to allow senators go through the bill
NSIP was created in 2016 by the last administration while the National Social Programme Agency Act was enacted this year to address socio-economic inequalities and alleviate poverty among Nigerians through four social support programmes meant to empower the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians to attain an acceptable standard of living,
The programmes include: the N-POWER Programme, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, GEEP, the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSEP, and the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, CCT.
Editor : Ena Agbanoma
