Tinubu sets up panel to review social investment programmes

President Bola Tinubu has set up a six-member panel to review the policy guidelines of the social investment programmes.

In a statement on Saturday, Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, said the panel is expected to audit existing financial frameworks of the social investment programmes.

The presidential panel is headed by Wale Edun, minister of finance.

Other members of the committee are Muhammad Ali Pate, the coordinating minister of health and social welfare; Atiku Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning; Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation; Bosun Tijani, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, and Ayodele Olawande, minister of state for youth.

“This Special Presidential Panel is tasked with immediately undertaking a comprehensive review and audit of existing financial frameworks and policy guidelines of the social investment programmes with a view to implementing a total re-engineering of the financial architecture of the programmes with detailed modification to procedures guiding the programmes’ implementation moving forward,” the statement reads.

The presidential spokesperson said the president believes that the panel would win back the lost confidence reposed in the programmes.

The development comes some days after the president suspended all programmes administered by the national social investment programme agency (NSIPA).

Tinubu suspended the programmes in the wake of the alleged corruption scandal rocking the ministry of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.

On January 2, Tinubu suspended Halima Shehu as the chief executive officer (CEO) of NSIPA, over alleged financial malfeasance.

On January 8, the president suspended Betta Edu as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation.