By Ankeli Emmanuel
Nigeria has distributed engagement letters to 167 trained independent monitors of the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP) in Sokoto State. The Programme was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 to lift some Nigerians out of poverty.
Presenting the letters, Monday, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Faruoq, represented by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali, a reiterated that the N-SIP interventions included, Job creation programme, N-Power, National Home-Grown Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, as well as the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme amongst others.
While stressing that they flagged off the training of 5000 Independent Monitors for the N-SIP in Abuja in February, they have come to distribute letters and devices that are equipped with Applications that will be used to monitor activities of the independent monitors.
“The Application, which we call the Social Investment Management Information System (SIMIS) is a mobile and web-based Application designed for monitoring the National Social Investment Programme.
“Using this Application, the Ministry sees real time report of activities of the Independent Monitors on the field. We can view reports submitted and also see NSIP performance indicators by State”.
The Minister who divulged that each Independent Monitor will be paid a stipend of N30,000 added that they must perform up to 80 percent of tasks to enable beneficiaries qualify for such incentives beginning June 2021 to June 2022.
She also added that, “This will enable the Ministry to detect areas where there are challenges and also provide greater visibility of activities happening in the field. Essentially, it will help us deliver our mandate and contribute to Mr President’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty,” Sadiya Farouq noted.
Responding to the gesture, Sokoto State Governor, Amimu Waziri Tambuwal, represented by the State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Kulu Abdullahi Sifawa, thanked the federal government for the step towards lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
Tambuwal further added however that there is the need to do more to help reach the remotest places.
On his part, a House of Representative Member from Sokoto’ State, Abdullahi Saleme debunked the erroneous assumption that the programmes were meant for only APC loyalists.
According to him, Nigerians from all works of life applied via online and selections were done based on merits and not any party affiliation.
He appealed to the beneficiaries in Sokoto State to justify the confidence reposed in them.