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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.”
As part of efforts to curb kidnapping in Edo State, the State Government, security operatives stormed a major hideout used by kidnapper in Esan North-East Local Government Area, Edo Central Senatorial District.
The action was led by the Task Force against Kidnapping, according to a government house statement in Benin City transpired on Friday.
It was gathered that the Task Force during the operation cleared abandoned structures and thick bushes along the Uzea-Itakpe railway corridor in used by kidnappers.
It added that the exercise was aimed at eliminating criminal hideouts, with a view to improving visibility for enhanced security surveillance.
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The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Akhere Paul described the area as a notorious transit point for kidnappers operating along the railway axis, Esan forests, and parts of Etsako West.
He explained that criminals used the abandoned structures as temporary holding camps for their victims before relocating them.
“If they kidnap people here, they bring them to this hideout, rest, and then move them to other locations, including Itakpe in Kogi State and Ama Community in Etsako West. This area has been a hotspot for kidnappings, affecting both the wealthy and poor, including farmers who use this route. As a government, we will not rest until kidnapping is eradicated in Edo State,” he stated.
The Commander of the Task Force, SP Michael Anetor, emphasized that intelligence reports and recent arrests informed the demolition exercise.
“The DPO covering this area and the local government authorities have investigated, and our findings confirm that this location is a strategic point for kidnappers. They ambush victims, and if moving them immediately is not feasible, they hold them here before proceeding. These abandoned houses and dense trees serve as their operational base,” Anetor explained.
He further assured residents that security agencies would sustain their crackdown on criminal elements to restore safety in the area.
Citing some residents who preferred to remain anonymous, the statement added that the abandoned structures and overgrown vegetation had long served as hideouts for criminals, allowing them to monitor potential victims before launching attacks.
Tragedy struck on Thursday as an unidentified woman plunged into the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge near the University of Lagos (UNILAG) waterfront.
Despite prompt efforts by marine police officers stationed nearby, she was recovered lifeless.
Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred around 4 p.m., prompting an immediate response from the marine police unit.
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However, despite their swift intervention, the woman was confirmed dead by UNILAG medical personnel upon arrival.
Confirming the incident, Lagos State Police Command spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin provided details of the recovery operation.
“Today, March 13, 2025, at about 1600 hours, an unidentified woman reportedly jumped from the Third Mainland Bridge into the water near the UNILAG waterfront at approximately 1500 hours.
“She was recovered at the University of Lagos shore slipway by a team of marine police officers stationed in the area. Despite their efforts, she was confirmed dead by a team of UNILAG medical doctors in the presence of officers from the Sabo Police Division.”
He further disclosed that the body had been moved to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Mortuary in Yaba for preservation.
Although the motive behind the incident remains unclear, some witnesses suspected suicide. The authorities have yet to establish any conclusive reasons for the tragic act.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has articulated the rationale behind his administration’s economic reforms, saying the primary motive was protecting the interests of future generations.
This view was shared in a statehouse statement on Thursday, in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President, (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga.
He declared thus, “For 50 years, Nigeria was spending money of generations yet unborn and servicing the West coast of our subregion with fuel. It was getting difficult to plan for our children’s future.”
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President Tinubu was receiving a delegation of former National Assembly colleagues from the aborted Third Republic, during which he served as a Senator representing Lagos West, when he bared his mind.
He highlighted the challenges faced at the beginning of his administration, especially economic and social issues, and expressed his gratitude for the delegation’s support in addressing these difficulties:
“We faced serious headwinds when I took over, very challenging times. Nigeria would have been bankrupt if we had not taken the actions that we took, and we had to prevent the economy’s collapse,” he added.
President Tinubu made it clear that the administration had been able to stem the tide and expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their collective support in turning things around.
“Today, we are sitting pretty on a good foundation. We have reversed the problem; the Exchange rate is stabilising. Food prices are coming down, especially during Ramadan. We will have light at the end of the tunnel.”
He said firm adherence to democratic tenets is the best route to economic, social, and political development.
“I am happy that you are holding to your belief in democracy. I thank you for keeping faith and remembering how we started. Some people missed the ball.
“Some leadership failed, but we kept the faith with our democratic beliefs and freedom and the right to aspire to the highest office in the land. I am benefitting from it.”
Senator Emmanuel Chiedoziem Nwaka, who spoke on behalf of the group, expressed his delight at some of the programmes that the Tinubu administration had implemented, especially the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) and at what the two organisations were offering Nigerians.
“I appreciate you for what you are giving to students because the student population is the largest demographic in the country. I’ve spoken with many of them, and many have benefited from it.
“And the next one is the CREDICORP. That’s a major way of fighting corruption. You see a young man, you come out of school, you want to buy a car, you have to put down cash, you want to buy a house, and you are not married, but with the CREDICORP, you can get things done. I’m following their activities; we are delighted,” he said.
Other members of the delegation were Sen. Bako Aufara Musa, Hon. Terwase Orbunde, Hon. Wasiu Logun, Hon. Amina Aliyu, High Chief Obi Anoliefo and Hon. Eze Nwauwa.
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