ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
No fewer than 58 independent monitors across the eight local government areas of Bayelsa State have been trained by the Federal Government for its National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
Resource persons from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development conducted the training for the beneficiaries over the weekend.
Addressing the independent monitors after the training in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, the Minister, HADMSD, Mrs Sadiya Umar Farouq, urged the beneficiaries to be diligent and transparent in discharging their duties.
Farouq, represented by the Special Adviser, Administration, Ngene Bash Kingsley, said Bayelsa had four clusters through which they could report whatever data they collate in the state.
The minister said the scheme, which was created in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari, aimed at removing many Nigerians from poverty.
She said over 5,000 monitors had been trained in the country, noting that their duties were to detect areas where there are challenges and provide solutions on the activities of programme beneficiaries in the field.
Farouq said: “The independent monitors are to monitor designated members of the national programme and will be paid a stipend of N30,000 monthly.
“The programme, which will run for one year, beginning from May 2021 to June 2022, is part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s schemes to remove people from poverty.
“We want to urge the monitors not to assign their responsibility to third party. They are expected to detect the challenges those in field are having and proffer solutions to them.
“Over 5,000 independent monitors, including those in Bayelsa, have been trained to help the government drive the national social investment programme. Therefore, we demand that the monitors carry out their responsibility with every sense of diligence and transparency.”
The highpoint of the ceremony was the presentation of gadgets (tablets) and employment letters to the successful trainees.