From Aminu Dalhatu (Kaduna)
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has trained one hundred and ninety eight Independent Monitors
for the National Social Investment Programme in Kaduna State.
Speaking during the commencement of the training, the Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk said the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) was created by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 with the mandate to lifting citizens out of poverty through a number of Social Interventions.
The Minister who was represented by her Special Assistant on Legal Matters, Hajiya Maimuna Idris explained that, the scope of the interventions were large with about thirteen million citizens across 36 states and the FCT benefiting from the various intervention programmes of the Federal Government.
“Today we are training 198 Independent Monitors that will monitor the programme at the community level in Kaduna State”
According to Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk, the Independent Monitors would be assigned to monitor programme beneficiaries within their locality in schools, households, and market clusters with the focus of ensuring that, the Primary Objectives of the programmes are achieved.
“This training follows an intensive two-week workshop at the National level by the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee setup by the Ministry to develop a Framework and Data Collection Tools for effective monitoring process”
The Minister pledged of regular training and guidance for effective monitoring within the Communities assigned to them.
“It is therefore my expectation that you carry out this responsibility with utmost diligence and sincerity. Please be
informed that the Ministry will not hesitate to take you off the Programme if you are found violating the terms of your engagement. We are also working with security agents, EFCC and the ICPC to monitor these programmes”
Hajiya Sadiya Umar Faruk warned that, any one found engaging in any form of malpractice or fraud would be handed over to the security agents for investigation and prosecution.
The Minister urged the participants to carry out the task with a sense of patriotism and to work towards the vision of Mr. President to lift 100 Million Nigerians out of Poverty in the next 10 years.
Kaduna State Director, National Orientation Agency, Galadima Zubairu Soba called on Independent Monitors to exhibit patriotism and excellence while discharging their assignment.
The participants of the training, promised to actively participate to acquire the needed skills and knowledge.