In this second term of President Muhammadu Buhari, an official said on Saturday, the federal government will expand the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) to reach more Nigerians.
The assurance was given in Lagos by Maryam Uwais, Senior Special Advisor to the President on Social Investment Programs.
She spoke at a conference organized by a development agency called the Reformers Arise – Incubator Africa’s subsidiary.
The conference took place at the Federal Palace Hotel.
Mrs Uwais said that the administration would build on the successes of the programmes to Mrs Uwais said the administration would build on the programs ‘ successes in putting smiles on more Nigerians ‘ faces.
The special adviser is the program driver, a government cardinal agenda.
Mrs Uwais said: “We’ve gone far in 21 states but we’re hoping to build on it and we’re urging our media to go out and see how far we’ve gone.
“Many will understand how far we have gone in 21 states if our media goes to these rural areas.”
She said the program’s impact was felt throughout, as recipients could be found in communities where the programs were implemented.
She said: “This intervention is aimed at alleviating poverty ; we see results. The Tradermoni scheme, for example, has been on since 2016, but during the elections it got more attention.
“I was at the airport a while ago, and somebody ran to me. I was afraid, but he told me that he had benefited from the scheme. He returned N10,000 and had access to N15,000.
“We have a community-based WhatsApp platform and we pay close attention to their needs ; we are trying to do our best.
“That’s development for me. It’s transforming lives, but as a responsible government that we are, we can’t boast about it ; we’re committed.”
She added that the Home Grown School Feeding Program, which provides one meal a day in primary schools, has provided opportunities for work for school communities.
“Under its Home Grown School Feeding Program, the federal government provides school children with six million eggs and 594 cows a week.
“The program has made poultry farmers smile at banks. What about caterers? We know they shun violence when people are gainfully employed,” the special adviser said.
She urged other stakeholders to improve the programs, including the media, to partner with the federal government.
“When our media show this, it’s more rewarding. It doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen yet in the 36 states.
“Even those who took advantage of this know this ; communities have benefited, but we don’t have to turn it into propaganda.”
NSIP includes the N5,000 Monthly Conditional Cash Transfer Program for 297,973 households, and Tradermoni, where N10,000 collateral-free loans are granted to small traders to assist them in their daily business.
It also includes N-Power which has employed 500,000 youth graduates.
N-Power beneficiaries are paid a monthly N30,000 stipend and deployed under N-Teach, N-Health and N-Agro as volunteers.
