NSIP: Siphoning of ₦1 trillion allegation, governor Bala was wrong – National Coordinator

Federal Government have denied claims that ₦1 trillion earmarked for the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) was siphoned by public and political office holders supervising the implementation of the scheme.

Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, during the launch of the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP), was quoted to have said, amongst others, that the social investment programme has collapsed under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch. He also allegedly challenged the federal government to adopt the system of empowerment his administration is doing in Bauchi state.

Reacting through a statement on Friday, the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP), Engr Umar Bindir, said the statement credited to the Bauchi state governor are false and have absolutely no bearing to the realities on ground.

Engr Bindir said the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) launched by President Buhari in 2016 and currently being supervised by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development is very much functional and increasingly expanding to make positive impact in the lives of the poor and vulnerable households nationwide, including in Bauchi State.

He said “the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), though a Federal Government funded intervention, is strictly being implemented by state government appointed officials and indigenes, who are working tirelessly alongside the NSIP team at the national level to deliver the inherent benefits of the various programmes to the poor and vulnerable persons in their respective states, in line with the good intentions of Mr. President to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by the year 2030.

“The head of the State NSIP implementation team is a Focal Person directly appointed by His Excellency, the Governor.

“The entire beneficiaries and participants across all programmes (clusters) are bona fide indigenes of the state, just as payments to participants and beneficiaries are also made directly into their individual accounts”.

While congratulating the Bauchi State Governor on the recent launch of the Kaura Economic Empowerment Programme (KEEP), the National Coordinator of NSIP urged him join the Federal Government in the onerous fight against poverty in Nigeria, and in Bauchi State in particular.