Npower: House Of Representatives Urges Federal Government To Suspend New Board

 

According to Npower News, the House of Representatives have persuaded the Federal government to place on hold the alleged idea of a new steering committee board under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance to oversee Npower and other social investment programmes.

The idea according to the House of Representatives goes against the extant law which positions the implementing agency, Npower  and other social investment programmes under the purview of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

This followed the adoption of a motion urgent motion of national importance moved titled “need to resume the implementation of the national social investment programme in order to alleviate the current increasing hardship faced by nigerians sponsored by Honourable Billy Osawaru during plenary in Abuja.

Moving the motion, Honourable Billy Osawaru said that the enabling Act of 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.

Honourable Billy Osawaru also explained that since January this year, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Betta Edu was suspended and placed under investigation while the Chief Executive Officer and National Coordinator of National Social Investment Programme Agency, Ms Halima Shehu was sacked and a new Chief Executive Officer and National Coordinator replaced Ms Halima Shehu.

According to Npower News, Honourable Billy Osawaru said as a result of this transition, the implementation of all forms of government intervention such as Npower, Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme and Home Grown School Feeding Programme that are expected to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians, were placed on hold, pending thorough review of Npower and other social investment programmes and investigation of the alleged misconduct in the management of Npower and other social investment programmes.

Honorable Billy Osawaru expressed concerns that suspending the implementation of Npower and other social investment programmes particularly during this period of increasing hardship has the implication of skyrocketing the challenges of the vulnerable population relying on its assistance and could result to rise in poverty levels, social unrest and ultimately impacting negatively on the overall stability and development of the country.

Honorable Billy Osawaru said that the recent cases of looting of warehouses and food trucks in many cities across Nigeria was as a result of increasing hunger and sufferings, which signals the need for immediately action to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians such as the resumption of of Npower and other Social Investment Programmes.

” Relieved that the interim report of the six-man probe panel appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to investigate the allegations surrounding the embattled Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu has suggested the resumption of Npower and other social investment programmes.

” Worried that an alleged recommendation suggesting that a new steering committee board under the leadership of the Minister of Finance should henceforth oversee Npower and other social investment programmes is not only an anomaly but is contrary to the extant law which situates the implementing agency and programmes under the purview of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Honorable Billy Osawaru observed that 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.

The House of Representatives therefore resolved to persuade the Federal Government to hasten the completion of the investigation of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu and to instigate further actions in the meantime, direct a serving Minister of State to oversee relevant approvals and implementation of Npower and other National Social Investment Programmes so as to reduce the adverse implication of increasing hunger and sufferings experienced by vulnerable Nigerians relying on Npower and other social investment programmes.

Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/03/nsip-reps-ask-fg-to-suspend-new-board/