The House of Representatives on Wednesday, March 13, asked the federal government to expedite the completion of the investigation of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and resume the suspended implementation of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
The House also asked the government to instigate further actions in the meantime and direct a serving Minister of State to oversee relevant approvals and implementation of the National Social Investment Programme to minimize the adverse implication of increasing hunger and suffering experienced by vulnerable Nigerians relying on the programme.
Adopting a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Billy Adesuwa Osawaru (APC, Edo), the House wants the government to place on hold the alleged idea of establishing a new steering committee under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance to oversee the social investment programmes.
The House said such an idea contravenes the extant law which positions the implementing agency and programmes under the purview of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
In his motion, Osawaru said the enabling Act of the National Social Investment Programme Agency was enacted in 2023 to address the issue of poverty and hunger across the country as well as to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations including children, youth and women.
He said since January this year, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was suspended and placed under investigation while the Chief Executive Officer and National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency were sacked and the new Chief Executive Officer and National Coordinator replaced.
He said further that as a result of this, the implementation of all forms of government intervention such as N- Power Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Home Grown School Feeding Programme are expected to ameliorate the suffering of people, was placed on hold, pending thorough review of the programme and investigation of the alleged misconduct in the management of the programme.
He said halting the implementation of the programme during this period of increasing hardship has the implication of heightening the challenges of the vulnerable population relying on its assistance and could lead to a rise in poverty levels, and social unrest and ultimately impact negatively on the overall stability and development of the country.
He stressed that the recent cases of looting of warehouses and food trucks in many cities across the country as a result of increasing hunger and suffering, which signals the need for immediate action to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians such as the resumption of all forms of Social Investment Programme.
According to him, the interim report of the 6-man probe panel appointed by Mr. President to investigate the allegations surrounding the embattled Minister has recommended the resumption of the programme.
He however expressed concern about the alleged recommendation suggesting that a new steering committee under the leadership of the Minister of Finance should henceforth oversee the social investment programmes.
He said the recommendation is not only an anomaly but contravenes the extant law which situates the implementing agency and programmes under the purview of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
He said while there may be legislative actions to amend the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act 2023, up until the Act is completely amended, and enacted, the current status quo cannot be reviewed by mere executive action.
