The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, assured Nigerians of the 9th Assembly’s resolve to expedite action by transmit the bill which seeks to provide legal framework for the establishment of National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
Hon Gbajabiamila gave the assurance at the public hearing on the bill which also seeks to assist and empower the poor and vulnerable across the country, held at the instance of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, chaired by Hon Abdullahi Salame.
The Speaker who was represented by the Majority leader, Hon Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, underscored the need for continuity and accountability in the implementation of various Social Investment programmes by relevant agencies and build social safety nets for the less privileged.
While urging stakeholders to give thoroughness to best practices in NISP, the Speaker affirmed that government has the statutory responsibility of providing for the welfare and well-being of the people.
While speaking in his capacity as the Majority Leader, Hon Doguwa described the social investment programmes initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari as unprecedented.
While stressing that the initiative has helped the vulnerable groups, Hon Ado-Doguwa explained that the Bill was imperative because it is a legislation that would enable Federal Government improve the welfare and livelihood of Nigerians.
He commended the President for creating Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development which he described as a special ministry, with a direct and social impact on the people.
“I have received over 200 calls this morning from my constituency, telling me they have received alerts of N-Power.
“We have never had a President like Buhari that has impacted positively on the lives of ordinary Nigerian. We will continue to partner with the executive to ensure we deliver the dividends of democracy,” he said.
In his remarks, Chairman, House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Hon Abdullahi Salame, said that the NSIP was initiated in response to the challenges of vulnerable Nigerians.
He said that the Federal Government has been employing youths through the NSIP and feeding school children, adding that this had reduced out of school children and also improve literacy rate.
He said that the Programmes have met its desired goal with attendant growing number of beneficiaries, adding that it was a fundamental reason to give a legal backing to institutionalise the NSIP.
In his presentation, Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr Bashir Alkali, said that the NSIP was a response by the President to help the vulnerable.
He listed the NSIP to include, N-Power, the National Home Grown School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), among others
He said that within the six years of its implementation, it has recorded very great achievement, stressing that there was need to sustain it with legal framework in form of a Bill.
“We hope the committee will conclude the assignment in the shortest possible time and give it the requisite legal framework,” he said.
In its submission, Director General of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim who expressed support for the proposed bill, however, called for inclusion of youth based poverty alleviation programs that will cater for the teeming youth population across the country.
“It is pertinent to note that the youths of our great country Nigeria constitute a large chunk of the populace with strong energy and capacity to contribute to the GDP of our country except that a lot of them lack the necessary financial support to undertake gainful enterprises.
“Empowering the youths through poverty alleviation could result in crime reduction in our country. Skills training and Start-Up capital for the youths will drastically reduce unemployment problems in Nigeria,” he noted.
The NYSC Director General who was presented by the Deputy Director, Mr Chris Ogar, also canvassed that NYSC should be included in the NSIP Board and Trust Fund, considering the vital role being played in terms of skill acquisition and youth empowerment programmes for serving Youth Corps members across the 36 states of the Federation and Federal Capital territory (FCT).
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Gbajabiamila assures on expedite consideration, transmission of NSIP bill for presidential assent
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