Non-APC govs taking credit for FG’s social investment programmes –Osinbajo

The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Monday lauded the success story of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes, saying some governors who are not members of the ruling All Progressives Congress have started taking credit for the programmes in their states.

Osinbajo spoke at a programme organised to showcase the achievements of the SIP at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The programme tagged, “A smile for every Nigerian,” was organised as part of activities marking the second anniversary of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The programmes under the SIP include N-Power, the Conditional Cash Transfer, General Economic and Empowerment Programme, and the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme.

Some beneficiaries of the various components of the programmes took turn to give testimonies at the well-attended event.

He said, “Most importantly, we have ensured that our programmes are in all states, not just the APC states, so much so that some of the governors in non-APC states even take credit for these Federal Government’s programmes.”

Osinbajo described the SIP as one of the largest social intervention efforts anywhere in the world, saying the programme was put together because the present administration could not ignore the pains of poverty.

“A country’s economic development is a function of the number living above poverty level.

“Our levels of poverty are so alarming that clearly some fundamental interventions by government are necessary.

“Often, our economic development plans and budgets assume a trickle down approach namely that if we put resources in promoting industry and commerce,  jobs would eventually be created and the poorest will be reached,” he said.

He disclosed that the next phase of the programme would soon take off with the reopening of portals for N-Power on June 13.

The Acting President also stated under the Social Housing Fund Scheme, anyone earning N30,000 per month would be able to own a house of his or her own under the SIP’s N100bn family home fund.