Reps to probeimplementation of N500bn social intervention fund

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to probe the utilisation of the N500 billion approved by the National Assembly for Federal Government’s Social Intervention Scheme.

The N500 billion is to be distributed for the implementation of the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, N-Power programme, Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) as well as Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

To this end, the House mandated its joint committees on Finance and Poverty Alleviation to conduct investigative hearing involving the activities of Vice President, Special Adviser to the President on Poverty Alleviation, Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning as well as States coordinators and all stakeholders.

The joint committee is also expected to ascertain the method of identification and selection of beneficiaries and confirmation of the identity of beneficiaries as well as alleged non-involvement of all critical stakeholders.

The resolution as passed sequel to the adoption of a motion which seeks to “prevent the politicisation of the Social Intervention Scheme of the Federal Government, ascertain the recipients and ensure proper identification and selection of targeted vulnerable Nigerians,” sponsored by Mark Gbillah, deputy chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).

In his lead debate, Gbillah (APC-Benue) argued that only members and the supporters of the ruling party are being selected for the scheme to the detriment of the poor, especially by officials of state governments and Local Councils.

Gbillah who applauded the vision behind the scheme, noted that the Home Grown Feeding Programme where local vendors willn be selected to prepare required meals for about 5.5 million primary 1 to Primary 3 school pupils in all the states was commendable.

“Other aspects of the scheme include the N-Power please which targets university graduates and non-graduates who will be trained and equipped as teachers and agricultural and health workers on a monthly stipend of N30,000 for graduates among them.

“The scheme include the CCT of N5,000 (which will be augumented by the World Bank with an additional N5,000) to be paid monthly to one million Nigerians and the GEEP which is a loan scheme of between N10,000 to N100,000 for market women, artisans, small businesses and the unemployed youths.”

He however lamented that the scheme has been hijacked by some States, hence stressed the need for the House to exercise its constitutional powers to oversight the utilisation of the funds appropriated to the scheme, with the view to ensure the actualisation of the social intervention set objectives.

“I appreciate the efforts of the Federal Government to fulfill its promises but, we should be concerned about the efficacy of the methodology and criteria employed for identification and selection, the veracity of the identity of the beneficiaries and the certainty of the selection of the targeted demographic without extraneous and political influences which still leave cause for concern and reservations by Nigerian.

“We should also be concerned about reports that the Federal Government has completely ceded the identification and selection process for these programs to the states to be superintended by coordinators appointed by state governments without the oversight or involvement of the federal institutions who conceptualised and approved the appropriation of funds for the schemes, except for the approval of payment” the lawmaker said.

Speaking in support of the motion, Emmanuel Egwu said that a large number of low income earner and the unemployed in Nigeria are still unaware of the modalities of keying into the scheme.

In his remarks, Leo Ogor, Minority Leader canvassed for thorough probe of the funds appropriated in 2016 Appropriation Act as well as additional funds proposed for the scheme in the 2017 budget.

Ogor reiterated his call for a legal framework to guide how the scheme is executed, saying, “I am aware that consultants in the scheme have to be consulted by people before they are admitted into scheme.”

While ruling, Speaker Yakubu Dogara mandated the joint committees is to investigate the allegations of favouritism and lopsided selection of beneficiaries of the N500 billion Federal Social Intervention scheme and report back to the House within four weeks for further legislative action.