The House of Representatives has said it is determined to partner with the executive arm of government in ensuring adequate implementation of government programmes, policies and actions for the greater benefit of Nigerians.
The legislature made this commitment Monday in Abuja during a familiarisation visit to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Addressing management and staff of the ministry, chairman House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, who led a delegation of members of the committee to the ministry, said that President Muhammadu Buhari did well in creating the ministry and that it will be support through every means.
He said: “Indeed, the creation of this ministry couldn’t have come at a better time than now, when Nigerians in significant numbers have been displaced; as a result of terrorism, farmer-herder clashes, armed banditry and other communal clashes in the country. Incidentally, the huge poverty gap in the country has been identified as root cause of crime, violence and social vices in our society.
“Today’s familiarisation visit is premised on the resolve of the National Assembly to partner with the executive arm towards ensuring adequate implementation of government programmes. This visit will also afford us the opportunity to cross-fertilize ideas on how best the ministry can achieve its onerous mandate. We wish to know the achievements and challenges of the ministry since its creation so that we can cause legislative action for the ministry to excel on its mandate.”
Responding, the minister, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, said the mandate of the ministry is to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, through different intervention programmes, disaster management and social development and that effort is being made by the ministry to ensure transparency in all its dealings.
“There is an ongoing process of overhauling the N-Power scheme, National Home Grown School Feeding programme and other National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) to ensure maximum transparency, greater efficiency and more prudent application of resources.
“The N-Power programme aims to drive skill development and job creation for unemployment youths between the ages of 18- 35. It is the federal government’s direct intervention to tackle youth unemployment and re-energise public service delivery in education, agriculture, health and tax. As of February 25th, there are 473,137 beneficiaries enrolled,” she said.
