… inaugurates monitors for N-SIP
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday, flagged off the enumeration and enrolment of beneficiaries of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme across public primary schools in the state.
The governor also inaugurated independent monitors of the National Social Investment Programmes in the state.
He gave letters of engagement and monitoring devices to the trained independent monitors for the investment programme of the Federal Government.
Oyetola, who was represented at the inauguration held in Osogbo by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, noted that the administration’s relentless efforts in the last two and half years had earned it the pride of place as a leading state on the Human Development Index.
He said, “As a state, we are irrevocably committed to ensuring that our vulnerable citizens are duly supported. You will recall that our state has over the last one decade shown consistency in our implementation of a wide array of Social Protection Programmes, which continues to impact very significantly on the lives of our citizens and has earned us the pride of place as a leading State on the Human Development Index.
“Only recently, we commenced the feeding of 30,000 poor and vulnerable persons on a monthly basis, as part of our own unique way of cushioning the effect of the current economic challenges on the poor and vulnerable in our State.”
The governor lauded President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiyah Umar Farouq for their sustained passion and commitment that have ensured the success of the N-SIP.
In her remarks, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiyah Umar Farouq, said that 4,452 independent monitors had been trained across the country out of the 5,000 shortlisted.
She said the initiative was to ensure that each of the trained independent monitors kept a check on a designated number of beneficiaries of the N-SIP in their respective designated Local Government Areas.
The minister, who was represented by the Director, Finance and Administration, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Matthew Dada, said the initiative would further help to strengthen the existing partnership and mutual recognition of the need to do more on the NHGSFP.
Farouq said that the government was looking at scaling up the number of pupils benefiting from the programme as directed by the President.
She disclosed that over nine million pupils were currently benefiting from one free nutritious meal a day, during the school term nationwide, under the programme.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Social Intervention Programmes, Abimbola Bello, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Oyetola for taking the welfare and well-being of the people as priority.
Bello who disclosed that over one million Osun citizens have benefitted from various state and national social intervention programmes of the government called on the Federal Government revisit the policy of “No payment, no feeding of primary school pupils.”
“I wish to make a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to revisit the policy of, ‘No payment, no feeding’, of primary school pupils! Our Children are our hope for a better Nigeria, let us feed them round the school calendar year,” he said.
