Aisha Buhari criticises govt poor implementation of Welfare programme

…$16 million spent buying mosquito nets

…N12 billion released to manage trauma

BY OUR EDITOR

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has strongly criticized the method adopted by the Federal Government in the implementation of the Social Investment Programme, across the Federation.

Mrs. Buhari spoke yesterday in Abuja, at an interactive session with a women group, as part of the activities lined up towards the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, for second term in office, May 29.

“I was expecting the Social Investment N500 billion funds to be utilized in a different method, in order to achieve the aim. But I don’t know the method they used.

“Most of the northern states did not get the money. My state (Adamawa) didn’t get the money, but I don’t know if your states got the money,” Mrs. Buhari queried, to which the women chorused, “No!”

She further stated: “It worked out well in some states but the methods, maybe, should be used differently. In my own state one local government benefited, out of 22 local government areas. I didn’t ask what happened and I don’t want to know.

“But for it to fail woefully in Kano is not a good sign.”

The First Lady wondered why a whopping $16 million was spent by those in charge of the social welfare programme to purchase mosquito nets when that amount could have been used to fumigate the entire country.

“They have spent $16 million on buying mosquito nets. I did not get it, but maybe some people have gotten it, I didn’t get it. But I feel that, that’s my personal opinion, I fell that $16 million is enough to fumigate mosquitoes in Nigeria,” she said.

Mrs. Buhari alerted her women audience of a fresh release of N12 billion by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, for the purposes of managing trauma cases across the federation and urged the women to monitor its implementation.

“I have learnt that three days ago, about N12 billion was released purposely to take care of trauma cases in hospitals throughout the country. Can we please monitor and see where the money is going to be spent, because the ministers are leaving very soon?

“The money is being released, so let the Ministry of Health be careful and account for the money,” she announced to her guests.