NEWS
Reps Demand President Tinubu Unfreeze NSIPA Accounts Within 72 Hours
The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to unfreeze the accounts of the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) within 72 hours to allow for the swift recommencement of the agency’s programs.
In a related move, the House also resolved that Edun should ensure the immediate release of funds to NSIPA to pay the outstanding stipends owed to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries nationwide.
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The amount due, totaling N81,315,440,000, has already been allocated under the 2023 and 2024 amended Appropriation Acts but is at risk of lapsing by December 31, 2024.
The resolutions came after 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.”
The motion was jointly sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu and 20 other lawmakers.
Kalu noted that despite the critical role NSIPA plays in poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, and social inclusion, the agency’s activities have been severely hindered due to administrative bottlenecks, insufficient funding, and the continued freezing of its accounts.
Kalu stressed the importance of the agency’s programs, which include the N-Power scheme, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).
He said these initiatives are vital for addressing the needs of vulnerable groups such as the unemployed, orphans, widows, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable senior citizens.
“The ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration emphasizes the mandate of NSIPA to cushion the effect of economic shocks on the poor and vulnerable,” Kalu said.
“It is disturbing that despite the agency’s vital role, its operations have been hindered by frozen accounts and other administrative obstacles.”
Kalu further expressed concern that the freezing of NSIPA’s accounts, coupled with allegations of financial mismanagement, has halted key welfare programs.
He emphasized that this is directly counterproductive to the president’s poverty alleviation efforts, noting that programs like the Conditional Cash Transfers and small business grants have been stymied.
“The suspension of NSIPA’s accounts contradicts the President’s mandate on poverty alleviation, hindering and halting crucial social welfare programs, which undermines efforts at economic empowerment,” Kalu added.
The Deputy Speaker also pointed out that the N-Power scheme alone has left 395,731 beneficiaries unpaid, with arrears of over N81 billion.
He urged that immediate action be taken to restore the agency’s accounts and fulfill the government’s commitment to poverty eradication.
The House also called on the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Nentawe Yilwatda, to take swift action to remove the administrative bottlenecks that continue to impede NSIPA’s operations.
As part of the resolution, the House instructed that the matter be forwarded to the Senate for concurrence, signaling the urgency with which lawmakers are pushing for the unfreezing of NSIPA’s accounts and the resumption of the agency’s crucial programs.
Kalu concluded, “Restoring NSIPA’s account aligns with the President’s vision, ensuring that poverty alleviation efforts remain effective, efficient, and impactful. Swift action is needed to maintain momentum towards the administration’s poverty eradication goals.”
The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government to allocate ₦100 million to Nigeria’s Tobacco Control Fund, enhancing its capacity to enforce the National Tobacco Control Act.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Bassey Akiba, representing Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, emphasised the need for increased funding.
He highlighted that the current allocation of ₦10 million in the 2024 budget falls short of what is required to combat tobacco-related health issues effectively.
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“Tobacco control is crucial due to its impact on preventable deaths, including cancer,” Akiba stated. He warned that inadequate funding could worsen health risks, noting tobacco consumption’s link to cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and cancer.
The House urged the Federal Ministry of Health to provide a detailed report on the Tobacco Control Fund, including its balance, funding sources, and previous expenditures.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas backed the motion, stressing the importance of sustainable funding to reduce dependence on international donors.
The House resolved to advocate for a ₦100 million allocation in the 2025 budget to bolster the fund’s effectiveness.
At the eighth Nigeria Family Planning Conference held in Abuja, medical experts stressed the urgent need to address high fertility rates and low family planning uptake to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
The event, themed “Sustaining Commitments for Family Planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative,” was organised by the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Dr Ejike Oji, Chairman of the AAFP Management Committee, underscored the transformative potential of family planning as a tool for sustainable development. He highlighted its multifaceted benefits, including saving lives, promoting gender equity, and fostering economic growth. According to Oji, “$1 invested in contraceptive services saves $3 in maternal and newborn health costs by reducing unintended pregnancies.”
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Despite some progress, Nigeria’s Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) remains at 15 per cent, with an unmet need of 21 per cent. Dr Oji called for increased collaboration and innovation to meet the FP2030 targets.
Funmilola OlaOlorun, Co-Principal Investigator at Performance Monitoring for Action/Nigeria, emphasised the need for strict adherence to the national family planning blueprint to achieve a two per cent annual CPR increase. “We cannot do business as usual,” she stated, urging for more funding, dedication, and resource mobilisation.
Samuel Oyeniyi, Director at the Reproductive Health Department, acknowledged the slow but steady progress towards FP2030. He emphasised the importance of integrating family planning into broader health initiatives to bridge existing gaps.
The conference highlighted Nigeria’s renewed commitment, including a $4 million government investment in family planning and the integration of family planning services into the healthcare provision fund, ensuring access for marginalised groups.
In a significant boost to Nigeria’s economy, major global tech companies, including Google, Meta, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Microsoft, have contributed a combined N2.55 trillion ($1.5 billion) in taxes to the Nigerian government during the first half of 2024.
The news, revealed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Wednesday, highlights the positive impact of foreign digital companies adhering to tax regulations in Nigeria.
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Data from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that these tech giants, including interactive computer service platforms and internet intermediaries, have contributed substantially to government revenue by adhering to Nigeria’s tax regulations.
“This significant increase in revenue underscores the role of regulatory frameworks in shaping compliance and driving revenue growth in the digital economy,” said Hadiza Umar, NITDA’s Head of Public Affairs, in a statement.
Beyond financial contributions, the report also highlighted the actions taken by social media platforms to enforce their policies in Nigeria.
In 2023, platforms deactivated 12.1 million Nigerian accounts for various violations, while 65.8 million pieces of Nigerian content were removed for breaching platform guidelines.
Additionally, 4.126 million complaints from Nigerian users were filed, and 379,433 pieces of content were reinstated after appeals.
NITDA also lauded Google, X, Microsoft, and TikTok for their adherence to the Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries, a set of guidelines developed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and NITDA. The Code aims to enhance online safety and manage harmful content.
“The Code of Practice outlines clear guidelines for promoting online safety and managing harmful content,” NITDA’s statement read.
While acknowledging the progress made by these platforms in ensuring user safety, NITDA stressed the importance of continued collaboration and innovation.
“We remain committed to working with stakeholders to strengthen and enhance user safety measures, digital literacy, trust, and transparency,” the agency concluded.
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