By Blessing Bature-Akpakpan,
No fewer than 52 Independent monitors have been trained in Ogun state by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development towards ensuring the success of integrated National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in the State.
Speaking while flagging-off the training in Abeokuta, the Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq represented by the Assistant Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) in the Ministry, Hajiya Jumai Abdu Ali, stated that the NSIP was created by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, with the mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty through a number of Social Intervention schemes, which include the Job Creation Programme-NPower, National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).
Farouq noted that the Independent monitors would be assigned to monitor Programme beneficiaries within their locality, households and market clusters with focus of ensuring that the primary objectives of the programmes are achieved.
Declaring the training opened, Commissioner for Special duties and Inter-governmental Affairs/ State Focal Person, Barr. Femi Ogunbanwo noted that the training was aimed at equipping the Independent Monitors with the right skills and tools, urging them to be fair, highly objective and avoid personal interest in the discharge of their duties.
Ogunbanwo admonished the Monitors to carry out the task with a sense of patriotism, wholeheartedly and effectively, while working towards a set goal and vision.
In his goodwill message, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr Olaolu Olabimtan, said since the inception of the programme, residents had been benefiting in various schemes, adding that the intervention has impacted positively the lives of the people in the State.
In his remark, the State Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Sola Babalola, said that the agency had been in the fore-front of the programme and the result had been worthwhile.
One of the Independent monitors, Mr. Gbenga Ogunfidolo, said the exercise would go a long way in getting the desired feedback to the federal government in order to achieve the desired goal, pledging to diligently and effectively discharge their duties in the state.
