FG issues letters to 150 people to monitor social reinvestment programmes in Anambra

The Federal Government, on Monday, issued letters to 150 people empowered to monitor its Social Reinvestment Programme in Anambra State.

The government also distributed a total of 150 computer tablets to them.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the independent monitors are expected to work from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022, with a monthly stipend of N30,000 amounting to N54 million in one year. 

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar, who flagged off the distribution in Awka, explained that the beneficiaries would monitor the progress of the Social Reinvestment Programme such as N-POWER, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT), and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) in their respective Council Areas of residents.

Umar, represented by Mr Raphael Obi Oraeluno, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), maintained that at least four persons per local government were carefully selected and trained from private sectors across the state 21 local government areas, with a view to ensuring that they carry-on their jobs transparently without fear or favour.

She hinted that independent monitors who performed well would be retained for the next one year, even as their results would help to improve the programmes across the 36 states of the federation, and “deliver on our mandate and contribute to President Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty”. 

“Each Independent Monitor is expected to monitor a designated number of beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programme”, he added.

“They will be paid a monthly stipend of N30,000, and they must meet up to 80% of their deliverables monthly to be eligible for their stipend.

 “The Independent Monitors engagement letters clearly articulate the scope of work. These devices are equipped with an Application that will be used to report on monitoring activities of the trained Independent Monitors. This will enable the Ministry to detect areas where there are challenges and provide greater visibility of activities happening in the field”, she said.

Also speaking, the Anambra State Focal Person for the programmes, Mrs Chinwe Iwuchukwu, represented by the programme manager, Home-grown School Feeding Programme, Mrs Uzoamaka Eriken, thanked the state government for providing enabling environment for the social reinvestment programme to thrive and urged the beneficiaries and the Independent Monitors to discharge their duties credibly.

In their separate reactions, some of the Independent Monitors, Mr Kenneth Ayiba, from Nimo in Njikoka LGA, and Mr Obiora Okafor from Oyi LGA, commended the federal government for the opportunity, assuring that they would not relent in discharging their duties as engaged.