FG Partners NGO to  Monitor Social Investment Programme

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has signed a one-year partnership with an international non-governmental organization(NG), Save the Children International, to monitor federal government’s National Social Investment Programmes (NSIP) in the states as a third party.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Abuja yesterday.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said that monitoring of NSIP and other activities of the ministry will increase the citizens’ trust in the government and hasten the effectiveness of the NSIP to achieve President Buhari’s directive of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030.

“The need to closely monitor and evaluate (M&E) these investments is an important component of the NSIP and its role in program implementation cannot be underrated. This is the primary reason why the ministry deliberately launched a strategy on M&E at many levels.” “At the local level, the ministry engaged the services of 7,500 independent monitors spread across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. These 7,500 independent monitors are currently on the field monitoring the implementation of the NSIP. Every month, over 250,000 unique programme reports are submitted by the i independent monitors,” she said.

Through the partnership, Save the Children International will engage the services of 18 other civil society organisations to provide third party monitoring of NSIPs.

These CSOs will provide independent reports on NSIPs in the states they deliver their support and provide additional capacity building to the independent monitors as well as carry out spot checks in locations of the NSIP Implementation.

 She appealed to the civil society organisations being engaged and other relevant stakeholders involved in the monitoring of NSIP to take the assignment patriotically as part of their contribution to nation building.

In his remarks, the Country Director, who was represented by the Director of Programme,  Mr. Faton Krasniqi, expressed appreciation for the role and achievements of the ministry in advancing the well being and development of Nigerians.

Save Our Children International will finance hand-picked independent monitors and finance their training through the civil society organisations to enhance delivery. They will also embark on validation visits to ensure quality assurance of CSOs and independent monitors and joint monitoring and evaluation visits with staff of the ministry periodically.