By Comrade A. M. Nasiru.
Member representing Ankpa Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims has rejected the publication of the Social Investment Program for vulnerable poorest of the poor households in his constituency.
Halims argued that the Social Investment Program (SIP) targets only seven hundred and thirty one (731), five hundred and seventy two (572), and two hundred and sixty six (266) beneficiaries only for Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Local Government Areas respectively despite the numerical strength of her population, elders and households.
The federal lawmaker, in a statement on Saturday, described the figure as offensive, fraudulent, ridiculous, insensitive and a display of cruelty to the plight of the peace loving people of Ankpa federal constituency, particularly as they battle with the harsh impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the figure is completely unacceptable, as it amount to denying the supposed beneficiaries a national right, vowing to seek redress at post COVID-19 lockdown.
Hon Halims reminded the officials that the National Social Investment Program of Nigeria is a social welfare initiative created by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2015 under the direction of the National Social Investment Office to to manage social investment programmes within Nigeria and will not fold his hands and watch his people been marginalized.
He also challenged the state focal persons and its authorities to explain how they arrived at the numbers at a time the targeted beneficiaries are in dire need of the intervention.
Hon Halims appealed to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Investment Programs to disprove the mind of the people of Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Federal Constituency by immediately investigating the published data, audit the Kogi State and Kogi East Zonal offices of the Social Investment Program in a bid to right the wrongs invented against Ankpa Local Government.
“It indeed personifies insensitivity, ungodliness, lack of empathy and evil intent that the population distribution of the three Local Government Areas can be so overlooked while manipulating a poorly reached number at a critical time when citizens across the country are seeking ways to mitigate the economic implications of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“My position is keen, that since the people of my Federal Constituency have earlier bear the brunt of economic recession in the face of increasing needs, it is only fair that they also enjoy the benefits of the Social Investment Program that targets the vulnerable poorest of the poor households, for it is an enviable innovation of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s stewardship aimed at making life reasonable for the old and vulnerable,” he said.
The rep member thereafter urged his constituents to note with keen interest how the disbursements will be made in order to strengthen his documentation and demands while seeking redress at the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdown stressing that the poor capturing is an unacceptable complicity against the people.
Hon Halims, therefore, as a matter of urgency charges the Social Investment Program to immediately enlist more households into the registry by reaching out to the various community and religious leaders to send a supplementary list of vulnerable poorest of the poor households among them.
He reiterated his commitment to the welfare and good representation of his people, during and after this COVID-19 while ensuring that all palliatives get to vulnerable constituents without any political or sectional limitations.
