Aisha Buhari insists SIP ‘performed below expectation’

Aisha Buhari, wife of the president, insists that only a few people benefitted from the social investment programme of her husband’s government.

The president’s wife had first criticised the programme at an event which held at the presidential villa, Abuja, exactly a week ago.

She had accused Maryam Uwais, senior special assistant to the president on social investment, of incompetence.

Her initial comments sparked different reactions. While the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the comment of the president’s wife justified its position of massive corruption under the federal government, Uwais said Aisha’s criticism stemmed from lack of knowledge about the scheme.

But speaking in Batsari, Katsina state on Saturday, the president’s wife urged SIP to assist poor people in the state, including those devastated by banditry.

Aisha, who was in the area to distribute relief materials to victims of banditry, said although N500 billion was released by the federal government to assist the vulnerable, only a few had benefited.

To prove her point, she had publicly asked the internally displaced persons (IDPs) there if any of them had received the N10,000 assistance from SIP and their response was negative.

“National Social Investment Programme should go to Katsina state and give them their assistance,” she said.

“These people gave over one million votes during the general elections, they really need the assistance and they deserve to be given.”

She also urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist IDPs in the state.