A non-governmental organisation, ActionAid Nigeria, has urged the Federal Government, to, as a matter of necessity, release enough funds for the execution of various projects under the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP). According to her, only N80.14 billion (representing 16.03 per cent) out of the total N500 billion budget was released in 2016, while only N155 billion (representing 38.75 per cent) and N228.16 billion (representing 57.04 per cent) were released respectively out of the total N400 billion budgeted each for the two subsequent years. Should a significant part of the allocations were released, N-SIP projects would have been more impactful in the lives of Nigerians. Even at that, she pointed out, the programmes had contributed to addressing, among others, problems of out-of-school children and youth unemployment in the country. “But upon all these, we believe that more people can be reached if the voted funds are released,” the group insisted.

Source: Nigerian Tribune June 14, 2019 13:30 UTC