A GLIMMER OF HOPE

Justice Tienabeso Bibiye writes that Schwab Foundation’s endorsement of the social investment schemes will enhance performance to achieve set goals

An interesting aspect of the “Global Village” phenomenon as amplified by advocates of globalisation is that today, there is hardly any nation that can function in isolation without its activities being followed, observed or scrutinized by close or distant neighbours. The growth in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) makes a very large global space looks so small, in a manner that captures the thinking of James Hadley Chase in one of his epic fictions “The Gold Fish has no Hiding Place” which envisages a society where virtually everyone literarily knows each other.

This is what the world is fast becoming as human relations and interactions are no longer limited by space, time and boundaries. It is, therefore, not surprising that a laudable government inspired welfare programme that is transforming the lives of millions of locals across the length and breadth of Nigeria is closely being monitored by several domestic and international bodies, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), whose reports on the outcomes of the implementation strategies of the Nigerian government’s social investment schemes have provided the much needed motivation to improve on ongoing efforts for enhanced performance to achieve the set goals.

One of such International NGOs is Schwab foundation, a sister organization of the World Economic Forum, which has not only taken due cognisance of the Nigerian government’s huge investments in social welfarism aimed at fostering financial inclusion, particularly for those down the poverty ladder, it has also gone a step further to lace such efforts with an award of merit in recognition of the political will demonstrated by the Buhari administration to provide succour for citizens who found themselves below the poverty line.

Mrs Maryam Uwais, who was recently reappointed as the Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, becomes the proverbial bride, the global face of the Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) in Nigeria. Her impactful implementation strategies as head of the National Social Investment Office (NSIO), caught the attention of Schwab Foundation, a Swiss-based NGO committed to improving the state of the world. Mrs Uwais was amongst those who received Schwab Foundation’s prestigious Public Social Intrapreneur Award on 23rd September 2019 in acknowledgment of her numerous contributions towards the achievement of Agenda 2030, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With this award, Mrs Uwais joins a global network of over 350 outstanding social innovation models from more than 70 countries worldwide, an impact-driven global network that focuses on global goals and local impact. Furthermore, awardees of the foundation are fully integrated into the meetings, initiatives and projects of the World Economic Forum. They benefit from peer-to-peer exchanges and meaningfully contribute their expertise to shape global, regional and industry agendas in close collaboration with other stakeholders of the World Economic Forum.

This latest honour coming from a highly reputed global organization such as the Schwab Foundation, underscores the success story of the Buhari administration’s determination in bridging the huge poverty gap in the country through the various Social Investment programmes. It also justifies the choice of Mrs Uwais, a seasoned lawyer, human rights activist, writer and social crusader by the president to occupy the driver’s seat in the implementation of the social investment programmes.

Mrs Uwais was appointed as Special Adviser to the President on Social Investment in 2016, a position which also required her to supervise the NSIO domiciled in the Office of the Vice President.

THE FAITHFUL EXECUTION OF THE NATIONAL HOME GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME IS CURRENTLY CHANGING THE FACE OF PUBLIC PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA, WHERE NEARLY 10 MILLION PUPILS IN 32 STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH ONE NUTRITIOUS MEAL PER DAY IN SCHOOL

The NSIO is the central coordinator of the four major components of the SIPs namely: N-Power, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) National Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP) and Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

The job was well defined for a woman who does not only have the capacity and integrity, but also possesses the necessary leadership skills to engineer synergy and engender the necessary team spirit in the successful execution of a commendable government initiative that seeks to deliver socio-economic support to disadvantaged Nigerians across the nation. The milestones so far achieved are also traceable to the “zero tolerance for corruption” stance of Mrs Uwais, who in ensuring that monies released for the various programmes are judiciously utilized, and structured the NSIO in such a way that insulates its processes and procedures from corruption and undue manipulation for selfish gains at federal level.

The deployment of technology, delegation of responsibility and strict adherence to due process in the award of contracts and execution of projects makes the N-SIP stand out as a model for transparency and accountability in the implementation of one of the most successful government-driven programmes in the political history of Nigeria. Perhaps, for the first time, award of contracts for a government project are done by a distinctly separate entity, based on merit, just as beneficiaries of the various social intervention programmes are captured after meeting the necessary requirements for enrolment; a marked departure from the past where someone has to know another who occupies a privileged position before he/she could benefit from such a scheme.

This explains why the outcomes have been impactful as testimonies by the beneficiaries have equally been quite encouraging. For instance, over 540,000 young people are currently benefitting from the N-Power programme and its sub-components.

In the same vein, the faithful execution of the National Home Grown School feeding programme is currently changing the face of public primary education in Nigeria, where nearly 10 million pupils in 32 states across the country are being provided with one nutritious meal per day in school. This is in addition to the development of a community value chain that empowers over a 100,000 secondary beneficiaries such as cooks and farmers, who supply the raw materials used in preparing the meals served the pupils. The consequence of these efforts is evidenced in the unprecedented rise in school enrolment rates as deaths arising from child malnutrition have reduced drastically.

Indeed, nearly 650,000 poorest households in the country receive N5000 monthly under the National Cash Transfer Programme (NCTP). Beyond receiving monthly stipends which gives them a sense of social and economic security, the NCTP beneficiaries are also encouraged and trained by community facilitators to imbibe the culture of savings and investments to become more financially stable and productive. In addition, over 4,500 Cash Transfer Facilitators (to support the beneficiaries in all wards where the service is provided) have been trained and 10,000 Savings groups and cooperatives have been formed. Consequently, these beneficiaries are on record to have saved over N560 million, from which over 18,000 beneficiaries have taken loans to start or improve their businesses. It is noteworthy of mention that less than 1,000 of these beneficiaries have defaulted in repayments.