The House of Representatives urges the Nigerian government to unfreeze NSIPA accounts within 72 hours to resume essential programs like N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfers. This action is crucial to pay over 395,000 beneficiaries and support ongoing poverty alleviation efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to unfreeze the National Social Investment Programme Agency’s (NSIPA) accounts within 72 hours to allow for the resumption of its key initiatives. This move, led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, comes after concerns that the freezing of accounts has delayed the disbursement of funds to over 395,000 N-Power beneficiaries, who are owed more than N81 billion in stipends.
NSIPA oversees several critical social welfare programs, including N-Power, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP). These initiatives are vital for addressing poverty, empowering vulnerable populations, and promoting economic inclusivity in Nigeria.
The freezing of NSIPA’s accounts, following alleged mismanagement, has significantly disrupted these programs, despite their alignment with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda. The House emphasized the urgency of lifting the suspension on the accounts to prevent further delays and ensure that social services reach those in need.
The lawmakers also called on President Tinubu to direct relevant ministries to streamline NSIPA’s operations, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, and ensure that the agency’s mandates are fulfilled. With the funds already allocated in the 2023 and 2024 Appropriation Acts, the House has underscored the importance of timely action to safeguard the progress of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment programs.
