₦airaland Forum

NSIP: Presidency Deliberately Hiding Names of N20k Beneficiaries From Us - Reps


By Wisdom Nwedene, Abuja

The House of Representatives, on Saturday, said that the Presidency is deliberately hiding the names of the beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programs (NSIPs) and the National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme from them.

Recall that the Special Assistant on Social Investment to President Muhammadu Buhari, Madam Maryam Uwais, during an interview monitored by Igbere TV on Channels TV said that those who benefited from the N20,000 shared to the poor because of COVID-19 don't want to be addressed as poor people; that is why they can't publish their names.

She also cited Section 14 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as providing an exemption by which the FG can refuse to reveal details of the NSIPs to the National Assembly.
However, in a statement made available to Igbere TV on Saturday by the Spokesman of the House, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, stated that the powers of the National Assembly to investigate or request any information from the executive are vested by the Constitution and are not subject to the stipulation of the FOI Act.

The House further revealed that there is  deliberate attempt by Madam Uwais to conceal information pertaining to the financial activities of NSIP from the elected representatives of Nigerians as  she blatantly ignored a letter of enquiry from the House Committee on Public Account addressed to her in her capacity as Special Assistant to the President on NSIP. 

The statement reads in full below ;

RE: SLANDEROUS PUBLICATION BY MADAM MARYAM UWAIS AND SAHARA REPORTERS

Our attention has been drawn to the misleading and slanderous publications of Madam Maryam Uwais MFR and Sahara Reporters both published on April 8, 2020 regarding the implementation of the National Social Investment Programs (NSIPs), the National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme, including the development of the National Social Register (NSR).

The insinuations in the above mentioned publications that the 9th House of Representatives labeled the NSIPs as a failure and a scam are incorrect and untrue. So also are the insinuations that the 9th House of Representatives has sought to compromise the NSR and input the names of undeserving Nigerians as beneficiaries of the programs.

The 9th House of Representatives under the leadership of the Speaker Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila acting upon complaints from Nigerians in 360 federal constituencies regarding the inadequate spread of the NSIPs, and also concerns that the NSR is outdated and does not reflect an accurate representation of the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria, intervened through a cordial interaction with the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq with the sole aim of ensuring and enhancing the delivery of service as well as the equitable distribution of the programs to the Nigerians most in need of them during this period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Part of our concerns expressed at the meeting held recently was the need to review and improve the outdated NSR as well as the methodology deployed in identifying the poor and vulnerable in the various communities in view of the complaints from several constituencies that they have not benefited from the programs. An outcome of this meeting was an understanding per the Speaker’s proposition that a legislative framework is needed to maximize the efficiency of the NSIPs.

We are aware that Madam Uwais has on certain occasions, including a TV interview on ChannelsTV’s Sunrise Daily programme, cited Section 14 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as providing an exemption by which the FG can refuse to reveal details of the NSIPs to the National Assembly. This suggests a deliberate attempt by Madam Uwais to conceal information pertaining to the financial activities of NSIP from the elected representatives of Nigerians as we especially recall that she blatantly ignored a letter of enquiry from the House Committee on Public Account addressed to her in her capacity as Special Assistant to the President on NSIP dated August 6, 2019 with reference number HR/SCO5/52/XX/400 requesting a brief of the activities (including income and expenditure profile) of her office from the year 2014 to 2018.

While stating categorically that the operations of the NSIP do not fall under the exemptions contemplated in Section 14 of the FOI Act, it is instructive to note that Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution vests exclusive powers of oversight on the legislative arm of government which also applies to any and all forms of government intervention programs, including the NSIP which is a disbursement of the nation’s funds appropriated by the National Assembly in the first place. The powers of the National Assembly to investigate or request any information from the executive are vested by the Constitution and are not subject to the stipulation of the FOI Act.

We must remember that the doctrine of checks and balances is an essential element of our constitutional democracy and once it is discarded our democracy becomes wobbly. Therefore, the 9th House of Representatives frowns at any fake news or publication that seeks to cast aspersions on its intentions and commitment to the people of Nigeria in its exercise of constitutional duties.

As the People’s Parliament and in the spirit and letter of Sections 14, 88 and 89 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (the Constitution), our priority remains to employ all legislative interventions to ensure the welfare of Nigerians in the face of the Covid-19 crisis and the economic hardship it has wrought on the poor and vulnerable among us.

Stay with Igbere TV. Africa's No1 Community TV.

Source : http://igberetvnews.com/1347157/nsip-presidency-deliberately-hiding-names-n20k-beneficiaries-us-reps/

Cc, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Broad day light robbery... My God .. Thus FG truly has NO shame !!!

They surely want to breaks abachas record .. Maybe when they pack the money till one day in the future technology will help us find them and we will seize ALL... Including properties!!!

This Corona Virus presence and depature will create some "GOOD ENEMIES" and some very "BAD FRIENDS" amongst our leaders.

Cc, Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Haaaaa

Means they account for it.

Mogbe ooooo

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh

Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

Haba, what did he do?

Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

I have the photocopy with me..you'll weep for yoruba if you see it..

Buhari is a liar

Anu man

Buhari wire wire dn cash out...no wonder his son is as lazy as and isn't working.

They would keep on stealing anything stealable in this government because stealing is in there DNA .

APC keep stealing o

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

So he shouldn't make inquiries into questionable disbursements of public funds or he should just keep quiet and ignore clear lack of accountability? Na so una dey take fight the corruption?

I am in Abuja,av not received anything o

Ok. E don start

Buhari is a failure

A corrupt dullard

mushystuff:
So he shouldn't make inquiries into questionable disbursements of public funds or he should just keep quiet and ignore clear lack of accountability?

Don't mind the guy.
People like him is why we are in this shit.

All about party, alliance and how much u fit grab while u are there.


Not that there is any diff though. All of them are same ol.

[s]

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

[/s]

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

So trying to make things right and setting the right pace for others to follow is now a bad thing in APC?

Lord deliver Nigeria from Nigerians. Na beg we dey beg

mushystuff:
So he shouldn't make inquiries into questionable disbursements of public funds or he should just keep quiet and ignore clear lack of accountability? Na so una dey take fight the corruption?

It's his party he's humiliating. Do u see Republicans tarnish trump in public, no matter the blunder he commits

No truth or transparency.Just a band of crooked criminals desperate to loot Nigeria dry.

Truth is those names have been decoded to figures lying in Bank Accounts.

blackpanda:
It's his party he's humiliating. Do u see Republicans tarnish trump in public, no matter the blunder he commits

Do the public funds in question belong to the party? Did the party during its campaign promise to never ask questions of its officials/members and Nigerians agreed? Why shouldn't Nigerians see the corruption of the ruling party a d exercise their choice to remove them at the ballot as was done against PDP in 2015? Is it just a game of deceit then?

You are actively encouraging criminal conduct and embezzlement of public funds on the altar of partisanship and political expediency; that is disgusting and disgraceful! You lack to moral right to ever criticize any politician!

Dividends of SW sophistication

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

Can you just imagine what a sane person wrote... so if he inquires about financial expense, he becomes a thorn in APC flesh and would be kicked out?...

you would rather no one ask questions about money you didn't even get a share, just because it's a party you support..

I have seen it all..

Esseite:
Can you just imagine what a sane person wrote... so if he inquires about financial expense, he becomes a thorn in APC flesh and would be kicked out?...

you would rather no one ask questions about money you didn't even get a share, just because it's a party you support..

I have seen it all..

You obviously haven't seen anything, cos if u have u won't blab rubbish. The only reason a politician will go on tv to rubbish another politician is simply for political gain. Gbaja is trying to look like the saint (that he isn't) while mudslinging his own party. How can u be telling a minister of your own party that he dropped the ball Yet u want Nigerians to vote your party at the next elections The man is simply stupid.

blackpanda:
You obviously haven't seen anything, cos if u have u won't blab rubbish. The only reason a politician will go on tv to rubbish another politician is simply for political gain. Gbaja is trying to look like the saint (that he isn't) while mudslinging his own party. How can u be telling a minister of your own party that he dropped the ball Yet u want Nigerians to vote your party at the next elections The man is simply stupid.

Naah, look in your mirror and see stupid...

Are you for the betterment of the party or the progress of the country?..

If the country is destroyed through financial corruption, of what essence is the party?..

In your line of thought, N2tr should not be investigated because the beneficiary is with the APC party?.. while 200m people suffer in penury...

My God, I have truly seen it all.

blackpanda:
Gbajabiamila is likely to end up like saraki. Power can be very intoxicating but by the time u allow it it will destroy u. HOR which is controlling by ruling party is instead becoming a thorn in its own party's flesh


Gbaja gbaja kontinuu o. Dem no de tell person

So they shouldn't do thier jobs? Now that the senate is ghosted and a rubber stamp?