Former Governorship Candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State, Chief Owolabi Salis, has lauded the Senate for putting the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) under the Presidency, describing the move as gratifying and a bold step towards grassroots governance.
The agency is currently under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Salis, a New York-based lawyer and chartered accountant, hailed the Senate over the step taken in a statement issued on Tuesday from his United States (US) base, copy of which was made available to newsmen, saying that move would no doubt provide the necessary support base to assist the poor who were enduring serious multi-dimensional suffering.
The legal practitioner cum chartered accountant, while describing the decision of the Nigeria’s Upper Chamber on NSIP as the greatest news in recent times, assured that the new system which he tagged: ‘presidency direct’ would be far more impactful, if well harnessed.
“Perhaps, the greatest news in recent times is that NSIP has now been domiciled in the presidency by the senate.
“Given the powers and influence of the presidency, it is my conviction that the poor should have a new lease of life under the new arrangement.
“With the latest development, more resources should be getting to several millions of poor people across the country who need one form of help or the other.
“The poor are seriously suffering, with many unable to feed and buy drugs on a daily basis.
“The need for NSIP, which I call ‘presidency direct’ is another avenue for government of President Bola Tinubu to impact the lives of the people more than ever before,” he said.
Salis, while noting that Nigeria like other developing countries had the resources to make her people, especially the poor happy, being the primary duty of government to ensure that, especially in these difficult times, expressed the belief that the social insurance scheme offered the government that had promised “Renewed Hope,” an opportunity to further touch lives.
“Like other developing countries, Nigeria has the resources to make her people, especially the poor happy, like their counter parts across the world.
“Moreover, it is the primary duty of government to ensure that the people are taken care of especially in these difficult times.
“As a government that has promised ‘renewed hope,’ it is my conviction that the social insurance scheme offers the government an opportunity to further touch lives,” Salis posited.
The former governorship candidate, however, urged all stakeholders to ensure that the project was monitored to succeed as, according to him, everything could not be left for the government to undertake, just as he noted that “the good news is that the senate has promised to take the lead in this regard.”
