House of Reps directs President Tinubu to unfreeze Fed Agency’s accounts issues deadline

House of Reps directs President Tinubu to unfreeze Fed Agency’s accounts issues deadline

The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the unfreezing of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) accounts within 72 hours.

This resolution was made on Tuesday after Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu, along with 32 other lawmakers, presented a motion advocating for the swift action.

The House also urged the minister to ensure the immediate release of funds for the payment of overdue stipends to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries across the nation.

Additionally, the House called on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Nentawe Yilwatda, to swiftly remove all administrative obstacles hindering the effective operation of NSIPA’s programs.

These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion titled “Need to Unfreeze the Accounts of the NSIPA for the Reactivation of all Social Investment Programmes of the Agency,” which was jointly sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu and 20 other members.

In presenting the motion, Kalu emphasized the critical role of NSIPA, established by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (Establishment) Act, 2023, in empowering vulnerable groups such as unemployed individuals, widows, orphans, persons with disabilities, and elderly citizens.

He outlined that NSIPA oversees key social intervention programs, including the N-Power scheme, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

Kalu highlighted that the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Tinubu’s administration reinforces the importance of NSIPA’s mission to mitigate the effects of economic shocks on Nigeria’s poorest and most vulnerable populations.

He expressed concern that, despite the significance of NSIPA’s programs in poverty reduction, youth empowerment, and economic inclusion, its operations had been severely impeded by financial mismanagement, administrative delays, and the freezing of its accounts.

He noted that the suspension of NSIPA’s accounts and subsequent investigations into alleged financial mismanagement had disrupted essential social welfare programs, including cash transfers, business grants, and school feeding initiatives.

With over three months passing since the appointment of a new management team for NSIPA, Kalu pointed out that the frozen accounts continued to block the agency’s ability to carry out its mandate.

Kalu specifically addressed the adverse effects on the N-Power program, which left 395,731 beneficiaries owed a total of ₦81.3 billion in outstanding stipends.

He emphasised that these funds had already been accounted for in the 2023 and 2024 amended Appropriation Acts, which are set to expire at the end of 2024.

Restoring NSIPA’s access to its accounts, Kalu argued, would align with the President’s commitment to poverty alleviation and ensure that the agency’s programs remain effective and impactful.

He urged swift action to resolve the issue, stressing that delays would undermine the government’s broader goals of poverty eradication and economic empowerment.

The House also resolved to send this resolution to the Senate for concurrence.