ACTIN
Speaking at a 2nd year commemorative event of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration at the old State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, he told the beneficiaries that government would be able to provide for all those in need.
He said: “I want to say to all of you that we do not consider the programme as a favour done to you. It is not. You deserve this programme because you are citizens of this country.
“This country can provide and should provide all that is in need of help and we will do our very best to provide.”
He explained that it was both a heart and a head programme, noting, “Heart because the pains of poverty cannot be ignored by.”
Osinbajo recalled that during the campaigns, the All Progressive Congress (APC) kept promising to get Nigerians out of poverty,”
The programme is also a head or logical common sense issue.”
He stated: “In developing the APC manifesto and later our economic development plans, we knew that government had to directly intervene with a massive social investment programme that would tackle poverty and exclusion across the various spectra.
“We have heard a lot about the programmes already but I would like to emphasize some of what I am particularly proud of. First is that we have shown that a massive programme can be initiated and managed on-line.
“The N-Power programme is the largest post tertiary jobs programme in Africa. We now know that we can train large numbers electronically.
“Secondly we have demonstrated that a transparent process of employment is possible. All of these young men and women have testified that they knew nobody, paid nobody to get the jobs they now have,
“Thirdly we have achieved great success in our financial inclusion efforts by bringing in many especially the extremely poor in the hinterlands into the formal banking system. Beneficiaries of the Conditional cash Transfer programme, home grown school feeding vendors and cooks, now have BVNs and bank accounts.
“We have also demonstrated that electronic payment on such a huge scale, across the nation is possible.
“Most importantly we have ensured that our programmes are in all States not just APC States, so much so that some of the Governors in non APC States even take credit for these FG programmes.
“We know that our children in public schools many from poor homes do not really care about whether the food is from one political party or the other.”
Osinbajo said when the next phase of N-Power opens next month, it would “The next phase of this programme we proceed on a surer footing.”
Speaking at the event, Senate Minority Leader, Goodswill Akpabio, admonished that the SIP would work better with more consultations, noting that government also needed to expand the programme.
He observed also that there was the need to expand and give it more publicity as most people at the grassroots were presently unaware of it.
“I doff my hay for this programme, but note also that we are saying it could be better done. I believe that if we are well consulted we will give them more idea,” he said.
The opposition leader added: “Yes, the programme is working even though it is not very well expanded and we’ll publicised.
“I think the area the federal government needs to improve upon with the available resources is the area of information dissemination.
“A lot of local governments, a lot of unemployed youths, a lot of would be beneficiaries, some people with skills, some people with skills who have no jobs to do are not quite aware of this programme.
“So, that’s one area where we must try our best to let the information trickle down to the grassroots.
“That was why I said it would be best done if we involve the local representatives, for instance, the councillors, House of Assembly members, National Assembly members like the senators and all that who are closest to the people and on a daily basis are interacting with them because whenever you go for campaigns in various villages you know the poor and the rich so that you don’t end using coal to build castle.
“It’s important that this programme actually goes to the vulnerable and the needy. So, that’s one area I think they need to improve upon, that area of information dissemination.
“The other one, which is very political, is the fact that let’s not do it in a way that people will feel it only benefits the APC states.
“It should be across the country so that all and sundry will feel the impact of government and know that yes, the government is for all like he said, he belongs to all, he belongs to none, and that, means that he belongs to all political parties and all citizens of the country.”
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