PLSG says SIP is critical to achieving its 3 pillar policy as Focal- Person presented 4 years implementation document.

Professor Atu (r) and Dr Sumaye

PLSG says SIP is critical to achieving its 3 pillar policy as Focal- Person presented 4 years implementation document.

By Joseph A. Adudu

October, 15, 2019

The Plateau State Government has said that the Social Investment Program (SIP ) was critical and key to attainment of the three Pillar Policy of its administration. Recall that Rt Hon. Simon Lalong, after his re- election and taking Oath of office to run the affairs of the state for another four years in June, 2019, said that the success of his Rescue administration would be hinged on 3 pillar policy namely; Security and Good Governance, Physical Infrastructural Development and Sustainable Economic Rebirth.

Consequently, the state government said SIP was critical to its success. In his remarks during the presentation of a document which contained implementation record of SIP in Plateau state ( 2016 to 2019) on Tuesday, the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), Professor Danladi Abok Atu stated that SIP was the pillar upon which the success of the administration would be built upon. Earlier in her briefing before the presentation, Dr. Sumaye Hamza, the Executive Assistant to Governor Lalong and Focal Person - Social Investment Program, Plateau State noted that it was obligatory to let the citizens of Plateau state and beyond to know the impact of SIP in the last four years of the Lalong led administration. She said that the intervention was flagged- off by President Muhammad Buhari in 2016 and was being implemented in Plateau state with the tremendous support of Governor Lalong.

Professor Atu, SGS, Plateau State

The Focal person said that the components of SIP included, job creation (N-Power), National Home Grown School Feeding (NHGSF), Conditional Cash Transfer ( CCT) and Government Enterprise Empowerment Program ( GEEP) stressing that government was committed to ensuring that citizens were supported to boost their economic status and subsequently get out poverty. Consequently, she added that the SIP was aimed at achieving a number of objectives which include; boosting productivity (especially amongst the marginalized and the vulnerable including women), stimulate economic activities in un-reached areas, help create sustainable jobs, improve livelihood, and enhance financial inclusion and poverty reduction.

On job creation, Dr. Hamza said that Plateau state has over 11, 000 Npower graduate beneficiaries in the components of NTeach, NHealth and NAgro, in the first and second batches saying that almost N9 billion has so far been injected into the state circulating in the hands of these young graduates

" on job creation, Plateau state has over 11,000 Npower graduate beneficiaries in the components of NTeach, NHealth and NAgro in the first and second batches. From inception, over N8. 941 billion has so far been injected into the state circulating in the hands of these young graduates under Npower in Plateau state. A very credible exit plan is on cause knowing that the intervention is not a permanent employment. We have the skill acquisition component called Npower build were skills are provided as well as start - up tools and monthly stipends to over 900 youths. I am happy to announce that 90 Npower software beneficiaries are currently undergoing training in Abuja. We are also benefiting from Npower junior. "

Dr. Sumaye Hamza

On the National Home Grown School Feeding, Dr. Hamza said presently, there are 3304 well kitted cooks in the state providing nourished meal ( developed through a Multi - Sectoral Approach) to 220, 865 pupils in public Primary Schools in the state. According to her, over N200 million was spent monthly to feed the pupils in the state under the scheme. On Conditional Cash Transfer, she said, “similarly, we have over 11,000 poor and vulnerable House- Holds in six Local Government Areas (LGAs) namely Jos East, Bassa, Bokkos, Kanke, Langtang North and Wase that are receiving. N5,000 monthly under the Conditional Cash Transfer. Over Two Billion Naira has so far been injected into the economy of the state through these poor and vulnerable House- Holds in the six LGAs. The selection of LGAs and beneficiaries was done using a globally accepted methodology of high integrity", she said.

Hamza further stated that Plateau state was also benefiting from additional components under CCT called, Co - Responsibility where almost 4000 lactating mothers, pregnant women and households with zero to five years old children attend Ante-natal and receive immunization with evidence were receiving additional N5,000 monthly. ," This has tremendously improved the well being of members of the House-Hold. It will enhance number of pregnant women who attend Ante natal clinics and subsequently deliver in Health Care facilities thus reducing maternal and infant mortality/complications", said Dr. Hamza.

The SGS, Prof Atu in a group photograph with Dr. Hamza, Prof. Wade, Hon. Volgap, Bulus Dabit and other stake holders after the official presentation of the SIP document to the SGS on Tuesday.

She said that her office was working in the remaining eleven LGAs where over 80,000 poor and vulnerable House- Holds have already been enumerated and enrollment commenced adding that once they are enrolled and data synchronized, they would begin to receive the monthly stipends of N5,000.

On Government Enterprise Empowerment Program, Hamza said there was the interest free loan domiciled in the Bank of Industry where there beneficiaries from Plateau state saying that a total of 31,929 have received the loan under trader- moni. “The amount disbursed is N319, 300,000. Similarly, 6,126 received the loan under market- moni. Total sum of 306, 300,000 have been disbursed under the market- moni in Plateau state", she said.

Representatives of FOMWAN led by Hajiya Muhhiba Abullrazaq ( State Amiral, 2nd from right)

The executive Assistant said that the Social Investment Program has tremendously improved the economic status of citizens, provided jobs, improved agricultural activities and made young graduates to think outside the box and enhanced financial inclusion stressing that to enhanced expansion and sustainability, it was important to domesticate the National Social Protection Policy in the state.

Cross section of Journalists at the event

She encouraged partners, especially the media to collaborate with the SIP office for effective publicity of the available interventions and success stories for citizens to know. According to her, "we need to collaborate with all and sundry in the area of monitoring to ensure effective service delivery to beneficiaries. Monitoring is a collective responsibility ".

The Media event which was held in the Conference Hall, Office of the SGS, Government House, Little Ray-field had in attendance Professor John Wade, the Director, Research & Documentation, Hon. Ezekiel Volgap, Chairman, Mikang Local Government Council and ALGON Chairman, Plateau state chapter, Bulus Dabit, Plateau state Coordinator, National Orientation Agency (NOA) among others.