FG trains 86 to monitor INSIP in Ondo

The Federal Government has trained a total of 86 independent monitors to ensure effectiveness of its Integrated National Social Investment Programme (INSIP) in Ondo State.

Hajia Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who was represented by her Technical Adviser,  Kemisola Oluwasetemi, said this at the training of the monitors on Saturday in Akure.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that INSIP, which include School Feeding, Traders Money and Conditional Money Transfer, was created to ensure a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth, and women

 The programme, which also works with local traders and farmers, empowers women as cooks, building the community and sustaining economic growth of the country.

NAN reports that the 86 Independent Monitors, who were drawn from across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State, will be reporting to the ministry once every month.

The minister said the independent monitors would be assigned to monitor programme beneficiaries within their localities in schools, households and market clusters with the focus of ensuring that primary objectives of the programme are achieved.

“The National Social Investment Programme is being expanded. So, for effectiveness, we need more hands to monitor the people carrying out the intervention with a view to giving us robust feedbacks.

“When you are dealing with a large spectrum of people, as many as 20 to 26 million Nigerians, there are bound to be people who will lack integrity, and may want to divert money meant for the people or food meant for the children for their personal  use.

“To guide against this, we are bringing on board the independent monitors to ensure that they properly monitor the people that will be carrying out this government intervention to the people.

“And we have warned the monitors not to collaborate with the people to perpetrate any kind of fraud, as the consequence will be severe on anyone caught with fraudulent acts,” the minister said.

Bunmi Ademosu, INSIP Focal Person in Ondo State, said that the independent monitors, the vocal person and the programme manager for each state would work in conjuction with the National Orientation Agency in their state to ensure the success of the programme.

Some of the independent monitors,  who spoke with NAN, expressed joy and gratitude to the federal government for being chosen for “this informing and educating assignment”.

Oluyemisi Agbaje, who will be monitoring beneficiaries in Akure North Local Government Area, described the various poverty alleviating programmes in the INSIP as strategies to reduce poverty to the barest minimum in the society.

She commended the federal government on the School Feeding Programme which, she said, would encourage pupils to always want to be in school.

“Encouraging a child from the primary level goes a long way in the life of the child. The programme also relieves most parents who can hardly afford balance diets for their children. For this, I give big kudos to the government, ” Agbaje said.

Fayehun Morayo, assigned to Okitipupa Local Government Area, commended the federal government for deeming it fit to bring succor to the people in the grassroots.

He said he was highly elated to have learnt a lot from the training “which has put me in a position to contribute to the federal government’s efforts to eradicate poverty in our land”.

Oyebanji Ademola, an independent monitor assigned to Ifedore Local Government Area of the state, said she was lucky and elated to be part of “this life changing programme of the federal government”.

She vowed to carry out her assignment diligently to the best of her ability “because my integrity is at stake”,

Also, Dele Aborowa, another independent monitor assigned to Ose Local Government Area, said he was happy to be part of the training because he has learnt a lot from it.

According to him, the programme has opened his eyes to various ways of legitimately making steady income for himself, aside the monthly stipend he will be realising as a monitor.