NSIPs impacted Over 12m households, targets additional 1m beneficiaries - FG

Blessing Bature-Akpakpan, Abuja

The federal government of Nigeria has disclosed that over 12 million households has benefited from National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) and President Buhari has given gracious approval to the expansion and provide loans to an additional 1,000,000 beneficiaries, with emphasis to targeting small holder farmers in the year 2020/2021 across the country.

Minister of Humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development made this known during the official launch of the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP 2.0) that GEEP programme is a veritable tool designed to end poverty which targets the unbanked poor and vulnerable but skilled population that have always been left out on credit delivery programmes and is directed at providing soft and affordable loans to finance their businesses.

Farouq said, "GEEP 2.0 is well coordinated and has an implementation model that accommodates representation at the Federal, State and Local Government levels. Part of the new strategies include an increase in the loan portfollo of TraderMon/ and Market Moni loans from N10,000.00 to N50,000.00, while the FarmerMoni is now N300,000 along with the provision of value chain and creation of digitat marketplace (E-platform) for beneficiaries to sell their products.

The minister said the GEEP currently remain the main driving force behind the poverty reduction in Nigeria and appreciate His Excellency, the Vice-President of federal Republic of Nigeria, whose office commenced the implementation of the NSIP. Without that solid foundation, we are able to transit to the current levels of implementation smoothly.

She called on all Nigerians who are specially targeted by the NSIP and indeed the GEEP to please take advantage of all that the programme offers so that the vision of Mr. President of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 2030 will unfailingly be accomplished. 

The Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Development and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq on effective implementation of GEEP.

The Vice President who was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, said: “The GEEP is a baby of the presidency handed over to Madam Humanitarian to nurture and I have been asked to let you know that you have the full backings of their Excellences and the full confidence that you are up to the task of reaching out to the majority of the poor people in our country and alleviating their conditions.

“For many of us who live in the cities may not know the great impacts this programme is having on our people, many are in the villages whose annual income are not up to N10,000. So reaching out to them and extending a hand of fellowship is a major contribution to reducing poverty in our country. The focus is on the poor, if we don’t provide for them, inclusiveness would have failed in our bid to take them away from poverty.

“By reducing poverty, we are reducing diseases, we are banishing banditry, we would have succeeded in taking millions of our youths out of the reach of recruiters of terrorism; we would have attacked ignorance, we would have reduced mortality we would have unleashed the creativity of our people, as well as their enterprise which Nigerians are known for all over the world, Prof Osinbajo said.

On his part, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SSGF), Boss Mustapha who disclosed that over N400 billion is being spent annually on the implementation of NSIPs, applauded the role being played by the Ministry towards emancipating Nigerian youths, women and vulnerable groups across the country.