President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of seven Nigerians to head strategic agencies and programmes under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement on Tuesday that the appointments were made to facilitate the needed relief to Nigerians and ensure the effectiveness of humanitarian and social development programmes.
The appointees are: Badamasi Lawal – chief executive officer, National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). Lawal holds a doctorate degree in education, and he previously served as a commissioner in Katsina State.
Funmilola Olotu – programme manager, National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office. Ms. Olotu holds a master’s degree in business administration, and she is the senior special assistant to the governor of Lagos State on state lotteries.
Aishat Alubankudi – programme manager, Grant for Vulnerable Groups. Ms. Alubankudi holds a bachelor’s degree in community development. She has experience as a risk assessor and financial manager.
Princess Aderemi Adebowale – programme manager, Home Grown School Feeding. Adebowale holds a doctorate degree. She is the special adviser to the governor of Lagos State on civic engagement and previously served as a local government chairperson.
Abdullahi Imam – programme manager, National Cash Transfer Office. Mr. Imam holds a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and has served as chief accountant, Northern Dairies Ltd, and as a bank manager.
Ayuba Gufwan – executive secretary, National Commission for People with Disabilities. Mr Gufwan holds an LLB and is the executive director of the Beautiful Gate Handicapped People Centre, Jos.
Binta Bello – director general, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons. Ms. Binta holds a master’s degree in public administration and has served as the secretary-general of ALGON, and permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, as well as permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
“The President expects the new heads of these critical agencies and programmes to discharge the functions of their offices with utmost integrity and diligence so as to ensure that Nigerians, especially vulnerable groups, are the exclusive and direct beneficiaries of his administration’s reconfigured welfare programmes,” the statement said.
In April, the Federal Government disclosed plans to resume the intervention schemes coordinated by the NSIPA.
On January 12, Tinubu suspended all programmes administered by NSIPA for six weeks, as part of a probe of alleged malfeasance in the management of the agency and its programmes.
Tinubu, had on January 2, suspended Halima Shehu as CEO of NSIPA over alleged financial malfeasance.
The president also suspended Betta Edu as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation on January 8. Edu’s ministry supervises the operations of the NSIPA.
The programmes affected include the N-Power, the conditional cash transfer (CCT), the government enterprise and empowerment programme, and the home-grown school feeding initiative.
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