Buhari’s Govt Investment In SIP Yielded No Result – Borno Senator

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, says the federal government’s social investment programme (SIP) has not have any tangible and positive impact on the citizenry and economy of the country.

The SIP was introduced by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 as part of the government’s efforts to to address the issue of unemployment and widespread poverty in the country.

The programmes include the N-Power for unemployed graduates; the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme for public primary school pupils; Conditional Cash Transfer to poor Nigerians and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) for small and micro-businesses.

In the 2021 budget, a sum of N420 billion was allocated for sustainability of the social investment programme while N20 billion was set aside for the Family Homes Fund-Social Housing programme.

But speaking with journalists on Thursday, Ndume said there is nothing to show for the success of the social intervention programme.

He averred that despite the enormous budgetary allocation, the welfare programmes have been marred by poor implementation.

Ndume commended president Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the programmes, noting that no government has done what he’s done for the youth.

He however charged the youths and beneficiaries to hold government agencies accountable by tracking the implementation of the allocated funds and how the money is spent.

“Sincerely, President Buhari has done his bit. No government has done this much for the youth. But, the beneficiaries must ask the right question of where the money is with a view to accessing them,” he said.

“The President has signed the 2021 budget into law and it contains a lot for the youths especially and the poor.

“As observed in last year’s N13trn budget, which was the highest level of implementation so far, we cannot see it on ground.

“So, what I’m suggesting or what I am urging the youth to do in particular, is to follow their money and ensure that the budget is not only implemented but that there is evidence on ground to show that it is actually implemented to the benefit of the people.

“I am saying this because the government had recently announced over N700bn for intervention in various sectors that are supposed to be targeted towards indigent Nigerians and the vulnerable but we are yet to see some of these actions on ground.”

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