‘N10bn spent on NSIP in Niger’

Not less than N10 billion has been spent under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in Niger State, with 710,000 beneficiaries since the beginning of the programme in 2016.

The Niger State Focal Person of NSIP, Amina Musa Gua, disclosed this while giving the breakdown of beneficiaries of various components of the programme during a “thank you” match to appreciate the federal government.

She said 560,000 pupils were being fed under the Home Grown School Feeding Programme, while 15,000 people were engaged as food vendors and suppliers.

She said 23,000 people were enlisted into the N-Power, while 81,000 others benefitted from the Conditional Cash Transfer.

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The beneficiaries called on the incoming government to sustain the programme for the benefit of the less privileged and economically marginalised citizens of the country.

One of the beneficiaries under the Conditional Cash Transfer, Huraira Haruna Manta, said through the stipends she received, she established a provision shop and sponsored her children in school.

The Chairman, Yam Supply Aggregators, Mohammed Musa Adunu, said through the supply of yam to the 25 LGAs of the state, food suppliers were able to support themselves and that farmers produce were bought from markets close to them without incurring costs of taking them to markets.

Earlier, the State Programme Manager, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Umar Shaba, said out of the over 14,000 direct beneficiaries under the school feeding programme, 5,971 were cooks, 804 aggregators and 1,116 local food suppliers across the 25 LGAs.