The Kwara State Government has praised the foresight of President Muhammadu Buhari in establishing the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP), noting that the scheme has bailed thousands of youths and women out of poverty in the state.
The Special Adviser on Strategy to the state governor, Alhaji Saadu Salahu gave the commendation in Ilorin, the state capital while receiving a delegation from the N-SIP’s headquarters in Abuja.
The delegation was in Kwara to monitor the implementation of the N-SIP programmes and get feedback from the beneficiaries.
The N-SIP focal person in Kwara State, Dr Rabiat Shehu-Jimoh led the team to the Governor’s office in Ilorin.
Salahu who was flanked by a close ally of the governor, Dr Mohammed Ghali Alaaya, said Nigerians would forever remain grateful to President Buhari for floating the N- SIP because of the programme’s impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.
The Special Adviser noted with delight that the administration of Governor AbdulRazaq has not only keyed into the scheme but remains the first state in the country to back the social investment programmes with legislation.
Salahu thanked President Buhari for conceiving N-SIP stressing that the scheme has reduced poverty and youth unemployment while its impact on the youths and women is unquantifiable.
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The Special Adviser commended the President for not only conceiving the project but for ensuring a thorough implementation.
“Back home in Kwara here, the past administration did not pay attention to N-SIP, but Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq keyed into it immediately on assumption of office. It’s on record that Kwara is the first state to have passed a law that legalises N-SIP programmes through KWASSIP. Thousands of youths have been empowered by the state government through KWASSIP. Women and youths have benefitted tremendously from the programme. This is why the governor appointed a woman as N-SIP Focal Person for the state” he added.
He told the delegation that most of the political appointees in the state are women and youths while about 94,000 pupils are benefitting from school feeding programmes daily, preparing them for brilliancy in their educational pursuits.
Salahu hailed the governor for being a role model and for giving the programme legal backing.
He expressed optimism that the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who he described as a lover of the masses will ensure continuity of the programme when he assumes office.
Assessment of the programmes
Earlier, the leader of the N-SIP team from Abuja, Mrs Bilikisu Dauda-Damisa who also is the Special Assistant, Monitoring and Evaluation to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, said that they were in Kwara State to monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of N-SIP programmes in core areas of N-power, school feeding and conditional cash transfer schemes.
Damisa disclosed that they have come to Kwara to hear from the beneficiaries whether they are enjoying the benefits of N-SIP programmes and to discover areas needing improvement.
Other members of the team include Zeenat Ohunene Abdulmumin, lead Coordinator, NSIP Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and Hajiya Idiatu Ibiyeye, Special Assistant to President Buhari on Disaster Management and Technical Assistant to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
The team had earlier visited Oko-Erin Health Centre, Eruda LGEA Primary School and Solagberu LGEA Primary School; all in Ilorin to interact with the beneficiaries of NPower and the school feeding system.
Emmanuel Ukoh
