Minister says 4 million Nigerians benefited from NSIP

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has said no fewer than four million Nigerians have benefitted from the National Social Investment Programme, so far.

Farouq disclosed this at an interactive session with the Focal Persons of the National Social Investment Programme, on Saturday in Abuja.

She explained that in June 2016, the World Bank Group approved US 5 million dollars International Development credit to support the establishment of programme targets at economic development in the country.

Farouq added that the Federal Government pledged additional US 1.3 billion dollars from its budget to create the Social Safety Net Programmes which came to be known as National Social Investment Programme.

“Since then, over four million Nigerians have directly benefited from job training, financial assistance and social development through these programmes.

“These aforementioned programmes are some of President Muhammadu Buhari’s strategy to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

“As you are aware, the Federal Government understands the need to focus more attention on youth empowerment by creating the enabling environment for job opportunities and capacity building,” she said.

The minister said that the gathering of the NSIP Focal Persons was to strategise on achieving clean management and operational framework with a clear and improved communication strategy in line with the objectives of the programme.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Tijani Umar, had said that the establishment of the NSIP in 2015 by the Federal Government was to tackle hunger and poverty across the country.

He said that the programmes were designed to stimulate productivity and growth, especially in the local communities across the country.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Focal Persons for the NSIP, Malam Bala Usman, appreciated Farouq and Umar for their passion and commitment to the NSIP, adding that the efforts toward lifting Nigerians out of poverty was yielding results.

The event attracted no fewer than 38 Focal persons from the states and Federal Capital Territory.