Busted: Ex-Permanent Secretary Recruited To Benefit From FG's N30k Social Programme For Youths In Adamawa

A report by SaharaReporters has shown that a retired Permanent Secretary in Adamawa state, who earns N400,000 monthly, has been recruited in the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.

The Nigerian Government established the NSIP in 2016 to tackle poverty and hunger across the country.

The suite of programmes under the NSIP focuses on ensuring a more equitable distribution of resources to vulnerable populations, including children, youth, and women.

However, a retired Permanent Secretary has by his relationship with handlers of the programme, found his way amongst the recruited youths under NSIP, to earn N30,000 monthly.

SaharaReporters gathered from an official of NSIP that the Permanent Secretary in question is an associate of the National Coordinator of NSIP, Dr. Umar Buba Bindir.

It was learnt that the relationship between the Permanent Secretary and Bindir, dates back to the Umaru Bindo Jibrilla's immediate past government, where Bindir served as Secretary to the State Government, SSG.

Official sources said they had confronted Bindir about the issue and reminded him that it was illegal to recruit a retired Permanent Secretary, while thousands of youths were left out.

"When he (retired Permanent Secretary) joined the queue to collect the engagement letter and a tablet phone, we politely told the former Permanent Secretary that this is for young people and not for your type, sir.

"But he replied that the National Coordinator of NSIP, Umar Bindir told him that he had been recruited.

"He retired just recently with a full salary of N400,000, having retired as a Permanent Secretary, and he came to collect N30,000.

"Though he confessed that he knew nothing about the programme; he said Bindir told him to come and participate."

It was further gathered that many youths, who were trained as independent monitors of NSIP in Adamawa state had their names replaced.

Several of such youths on Saturday protested to the venue, where engagement letters and phone tablets were given to the Permanent Secretary and other recruits.

An NSIP official called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the programme and its beneficiaries.