Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruoq, has distributed engagement letters to about 167 trained independent monitors of the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP) in Sokoto State.
Presenting the letters to the monitors in Sokoto on Monday, the minister reiterated that the N-SIP was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 as one of his numerous strategies of lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
Farouq, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Bashir Alkali, also disclosed that some of those 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.
Stressing that the Federal Government has flagged off the training of 5,000 Independent Monitors for the N-SIP in Abuja on February 4, the minister stated that the ministry officials have come to distribute letters and devices that are equipped with Applications that will be used to monitors activities of the independent monitors.
Farouq said, “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 stated that each Independent Monitor will be paid a stipend of N30,000, added that the monitors must perform up to 80 per cent to enable beneficiaries qualify for such beginning from June 2021 to June 2022.
She said, “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.”
Responding, Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal thanked the Federal Government for such a laudable step towards lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
Tambuwal, who was represented at the event by the State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Sifawa, further stated that there is the need to do more to help reach the remotest areas.
A member of the House of Representatives from Sokoto State, Hon Abdullahi Saleme, debunked the erroneous impression that the programmes were meant for only the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyalists.
According to him, Nigerians from different walks of life applied via online while the selections were done on merits and not through any party affiliation.
The lawmaker also appealed to the beneficiaries in Sokoto State to justify the confidence reposed in them.
