N-Power: President Buhari Speaks On FG’s Social Investment Programmes

President Muhammadu Buhari has heaped praise on Vice President Yemi Osinbajo for driving the National Social Investment Programmes (SIPs) such as the school feeding programme and the N-Power scheme.
True Gister News reports that the president says his lieutenant’s efforts consequently draws the government closer to the people.

President Buhari was speaking on Monday night at the breaking of the Ramadan fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, when he hosted top government officials.

He said the programmes driven by Osinbajo had been “very successful”.
According to the President, Osinbajo was ahead of him in pushing for the programmes as he was initially reluctant.
He said programmes like TraderMoni, N-Power, School Feeding Programme and other SIPs had reduced poverty and out-of-school pupils in Nigeria since implementation began.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo with officials of the National Social Investment Office (Facebook)

“When I drive around the country, what upsets me the most is the state of poor people in this country. You see young people, the Almajiris with torn clothes and plastic bowls. They are looking basically for what to eat,” he said.
“The question of education is a luxury. I think that the Nigerian elites are failing because I think we should have a programme that will at least guarantee some basic education for people no matter how poor they are.
“So, I welcome the Vice President’s initiative on feeding in schools. If you check in some of the communities, the attendance in schools has improved because a lot children can get at least one good meal a day. But culturally, some elites are merciless; they don’t care about other people.”