By Emmanuel Daudu
The National Coordinator/CEO of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA), Hajiya Halima Shehu, has on Tuesday stated that she will work hard to justify her appointment by President Bola Ahmed to ensuring that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is to its brim achieved.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, shortly after her assumption of office, Shehu said her work experience in the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in the last four years has availed her the opportunity to interface with the needy across the country.
She said: “As we all know, the NSIP programmes have now been running in the country since 2016 across the country but it’s yet to completely alleviate poverty out of the country. First, because the population of poor/vulnerable is twice higher than the average population of Nigerians who can afford the basic human needs and not up to 30% of the population have been empowered.
“Poverty as we all know, engenders crime in any society, the more the people are uplifted out of poverty the lesser the crime rate in any society. As we all know, the programmes have witnessed so many criticisms in the country for lack of transparency, accountability, free and fair selection of beneficiaries, realistic data base and publicity amongst others.
“We hope to do better in this aspect especially now that the programmes are governed by an act which is a legal framework that clearly states the function of the Agency, the CEO and stakeholders.
“Again, I will say I am certain that Mr President has recognized our leadership qualities and that’s why he has assigned us such a huge task upon us therefore we have to be focused, committed, dedicated and passionate in carrying out this sensitive assignment of poverty alleviation, which is one of the biggest promise In his Renewed Hope mandate.
“But this cannot be achieved without a great team and collaboration from all stakeholders both home and abroad which includes National/International Development partners amongst others. My working experience in this ministry in the last 4 years has availed me the opportunity to interface with the needy across the country and I have personally witnessed life changing situations on this programmes to the beneficiaries.
“We have taken a lot of risk in carrying out this humanitarian services sometimes when we get to riverine areas we get into a boat or a helicopter to get to this beneficiaries. So, I know exactly the scope of work at NSIPA and the huge task ahead of us to be accomplished in limited timeline.
“I have confidence that with full support by the Ministry, NSIPA would make the ‘ Renewed Hope Mantra of President Bola Tinubu ‘s administration a practical reality among vulnerable Nigerians.”
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