The federal government has engaged 320 independent monitors to monitor the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in Kano.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday by Halima Oyelade, the media aide of Sadiya Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Speaking during the distribution of tablets and engagement letters to the Kano monitors, Ms Farouq said they were among 5,000 individuals trained between February and April 2021.

The NSIP includes N-Power, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT), and the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP).

She explained that the federal government distributed tablets and engagement letters to 320 IMs.

“The devices to be used in monitoring the programme are locally made in Nigeria with an Application called the Social Investment Management Information System (SIMIS) designed by an indigenous company.

“Using this App, the Ministry sees real-time activities of the IMs on the field, see reports submitted and the NSIP performance indicators state by state,” stated the minister.

Ms Farouq added, “This will help the ministry detect areas where there are challenges, and essentially help the ministry to deliver on the mandate, to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

“The IMs are expected to monitor a designated number of beneficiaries of the NSIPs like the N-Power, GEEP, CCT, and NHGSFP, and will be paid a stipend of N30,000 monthly.”

Ms Farouq warned the monitors not to assign their responsibility to third parties, stressing that each monitor will be held accountable by the Ministry in the event of any misconduct.