By Haruna Salami
The leadership of the National Assembly, NASS, has reacted to some media reports on its recent meeting with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.
The leadership alleged that some newspapers reported NASS as describing the National Social Investment Programme, NSIP, which was the focus of the meeting, as a “failure” and mismanaging N2 trillion under the programme.
The NSIP is the vehicle that government is using to convey its palliative packages to the most vulnerable Nigerians against the backdrop of the lockdown in many parts of the country, to check the spread of the deadly disease.
Reacting to the alleged media reports, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said there was nowhere at the meeting that the leadership of NASS described NSIP as a “failure” or a “scam”, as reported by two different newspapers, just as there was no mention of N2 trillion or any amount whatsoever.
A statement by Ola Awoniyi, Special Adviser (Media) to Senate President on Thursday, said although the official press statement issued at the end of the meeting with the minister on Tuesday, “clearly conveyed the deliberations and resolution of the meeting, some misrepresentations appeared in the reports by one or two newspapers.
“The comments at the meeting were not made to denigrate any official but to make the scheme more effective in the delivery of its critical mandate and these comments were well taken by the Honourable Minister and her delegation.
“The minister was honest enough to admit that the NSIP had some “challenges” and also bedeviled with “intrigues”, which she was yet battling with”, Awoniyi said adding, “We believe this misrepresentation misled the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs Maryam Uwais, to issue a rejoinder containing unfortunate insinuations,which were totally extraneous to the discussions at the meeting and the contemplation of the National Assembly.
“It is true that the leadership of the National Assembly pointed out gaps in the implementation of NSIP. As the representatives of the people, it is a key constitutional mandate of the legislature to oversight, review and make recommendations for better implementation of important programmes of Government.
“The observations made by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, captured the views of many Nigerians. These observations also reflect feedback from the people they represent who are the targeted beneficiaries of the scheme.
“We, therefore, take strong exception to the innuendo by the presidential aide that her rejoinder was issued towards “safeguarding the entitlements of the poorest of Nigerian citizens, whose benefits are likely to cease because they are not known or connected to NASS members or any other person of influence.
“That insinuation is unfair to the members of the National Assembly and entirely baseless.
“Public office holders should be receptive to constructive ideas and suggestions expressed to enhance service delivery and to improve the performances of public projects and institutions,” NASS leadership stated.
