A total of 88 independent monitors in Gombe state have begun training by Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development for the implementation of federal Government National Social Investment Programmes.
The training was flagged off on Saturday by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq in Gombe.
The Minister said that the training was organized to enable the 88 participants engaged be saddled with the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of the Social Investment Programme in the state to ensure that the objectives are achieved.
Represented by the Chief Administration Officer of Ministry, Mr Silas Wuyah, the Minister said that the training was currently taking place across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
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She also said that at the end of the training, each participant would receive a letter of engagement, which contained the terms and reference of the work they were expected to do.
The Minister further explained that the monitoring exercise is for the period of one year, but subject to renewal, depending on their performance.
The Program Officer of the National Social Investment Program in Gombe State, Mr Muzirril Yahaya, in his remarks said that the National Social Investment Programme was categorized into four components of N-Power, Home Grown School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer and the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme.
He also said that the aim of the programme is to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty enjoining the participants to be partners in progress and not antagonistic, to ensure the success of the programme in the state.
Gombe State Director, National Orientation Agency, (NOA), Mrs. Sarah Yepwa, commended the Federal Government for initiating the programme, which she said was positively impacting the lives of children.
She said that the programme has increased the number of enrollment of children in schools, as well as their improved health stressing that the N-Power programme had equally helped in reducing social vices in the state.
Some of the participants who spoke to our Correspondent, commended the Federal Government for all its programs geared towards the eradication of poverty among Nigerians assuring that they will do everything possible to ensure success of the program.