Segun Awofadeji
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has raised the alarm over the non-existence of the federal government’s funded Social Investment Programme(SIP) in the state, alleging that the programme is an avenue to enrich a few Nigerians implementing it even though President Muhammadu Buhari has good intention with the programme.
The governor also complained of inability of the state to get the required treatment in the distribution of COVID-19 assistance.
Governor Mohammed, who made the observations at the flagging off of the State Government’s Economic Empowerment Programme in Dambam Local government Area of the state yesterday declared that since the federal government commenced the SIP, Bauchi State has not benefitted from it in any form.
According to him, while President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration introduced the programme with good intention, some critical stakeholders in the implementation process are denying the state it’s privilege to benefit from the initiative.
While calling on the President to set a high powered committee for an independent investigation into the matter, Governor Mohammed argued that such people-oriented programmes are public right that should not be politicised.
He added that like the SIP, the state has yet to get the required treatment in the distribution of COVID-19 assistance from the federal government and expressed wonder on what was really happening.
According to the governor, there was the urgent need for the President to investigate the implementation of the programme with a view to ensuring that all Nigerians adequately benefit from the programme.
He emphasised that such laudable people-oriented programmes meant for the benefit of all Nigerians that ought not be politicised.
Speaking on the economic empowerment programme, the governor said each of the 20 local governments would benefit with N75 million in an effort to create job opportunities for people from the grassroot.
So far, 10 out of the 20local government areas have benefited from the initiative.
