Social Investment Programme: FG to Deepen Collaboration with State Govt

In order to further advance an effective implementation of the Buhari administration’s Social Investment Programmes now operational in all 36 States of the Federation and FCT, the National Economic Council, NEC resolved today to locate the State Governments’ coordination units in the State Governors’ office.

This is one of the highlights of the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, earlier today at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.

While updating the Council which is made up of all 36 State Governors, the Central Bank Governor and Minister of the FCT, about the progress in the implementation of the SIPs, Prof. Osinbajo noted that in all the States and FCT, different aspects of the programmes are operational.

The SIPs include the N-Power job programme for unemployed graduates where 200,000 have been engaged in all States and FCT, the Homegrown School Feeding Programme now operational in at least 7 states feeding over one million primary school pupils one hot meal daily, the Conditional Cash Transfer in 9 States and the Government Enterprise & Empowerment Programme, GEEP, a micro-credit scheme meant to grant soft loans to well over one million Nigerians.

The Vice President informed Council on impediments and other observed programme implementation delays noticed as the SIPs have become operational across the country. Some of the obstacles have been identified within the Federal Government/State Government’s collaboration mechanism.

For instance while all States have appointed a Focal Person to interface with the FG in ensuring the implementation at the state level, the need has emerged for an upgrade of such coordination unit to be directly located in the Office of State Governor for better delivery results, faster and more effective implementation.

The Council therefore resolved to end all identified obstacles for a successful implementation of the Social Investment programme (SIP) and decided to locate State Coordination units in the Office of the Governor for more effective collaboration.