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Aisha Buhari blast husband’s Govt. over $16M for mosquito nets and N500bn social investment

Published

5 years ago

May 26, 2019

President Muhammadu Buhari ’ s wife , Aisha , has rubbished the N 500bn Social Investment Programme of her husband ’ s administration , saying that it failed “ woefully ” in the North in particular.
Aisha , who hails from Adamawa State , said the situation in her home state , as far as the implementation was concerned , was pathetic .

She also cited Kano , a highly – populated northern state , as another example where she believed the programme failed, despite the huge funds the Federal Government budgeted for it .

The SIP is domiciled in the Office of Vice -President Yemi Osinbajo , but its direct implementation is done by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment , Mrs Maryam Uwais .
Mrs Buhari bared her feelings on Saturday in Abuja during an interactive programme she organised for women at the Presidential Villa .

For instance , she disclosed that though Uwais informed her that 30 , 000 women would be beneficiaries in Adamawa State , four years had passed and there was no evidence that the SA kept her word .
The President ’ s wife spoke in detail , expressing her disappointment .

She went on , “ Concerning the N 500 bn voted for SIP , that was part of 2015 campaigns where they promised to give out N 10 , 000 , feed pupils in primary schools and give N 5 , 000 to the poorest of the poor .
“ The SSA to the President on Social Investment is a lady from Kano and I am sure that my husband decided to put somebody from Kano because of the population and political impact it made. I have never asked how the money is being used or is being given out . I met Barrister ( one of the President ’ s aides on SIP ) once and he promised me that for my state ( Adamawa) , we should get 30 , 000 women to be given N 10 , 000. Up till now , I haven ’ t heard from him .

“ I don’ t want to raise the alarm that my state does not benefit from it , where the SGF ( Secretary to the Government of the Federation) came from , I kept quiet because I don’ t want people to say that I talk too much . Recently , I saw a 74 – year -old man selling petty things in Kano, I asked him how much is his capital , he told me between N 3 , 000 and N 4 , 000. Don ’ t forget that we have campaigned to give the poorest of the poor N 5 , 000 every month .

“ So, I don’ t know where is the social investment… Maybe , it worked out in some states. In my own state , only a local government benefited out of the 22 . I didn ’ t ask what happened and I don’ t want to know , but it failed woefully in Kano , it ’ s not a good sign and it ’ s not a good thing.
“ We have a lot of women that do business locally due to the cultural thing in the North, they are at home doing their business. Some are millionaires , some have thousands of naira, they need the assistance but they do not get it . Most northern women do not belong to any market association .

“ I was expecting the N 500bn to be utilised in different methods in the North for the aim to be achieved . I don’ t know the method they used , but most of the northern states do not get it . My state does not get it .
“ How many of you ( women in the hall ) get it in your state ? My state did not benefit from it . ”

The women responded by saying that they got nothing in the past four years .
She argued that the method employed in implementing the programme in the North was faulty , a reason she believed it failed there .

“ It worked out well in a situation whereby they have market associations but I was thinking different methods should be used in the North” , the President ’ s wife stated .
Amid applause from women in the hall , Mrs Buhari also criticised the $ 16 m counterpart fund said to have been used so far on procurement of mosquito nets .

She noted , “ I have heard about mosquito nets , Nigeria paid its counterpart fund , $ 16 m . I asked them to give my own share of the net to send it to my village people . I didn ’ t get it .

“ They have spent $ 16 m in buying mosquito nets , I did not get it , maybe some people have got it . But I feel that , that ’ s my personal opinion , $ 16 m is enough to fumigate mosquitoes in Nigeria. That ’ s my opinion . ”

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However , she commended the SGF , Mr Boss Mustapha , for the initiative to include women in the inauguration programme of her husband for his second term on May 29 .
She stated further , “ I will also like to use the opportunity to thank the SGF for including women in the inaugural activities of Mr President ; this is what is called next level . They didn ’ t allow us to participate in politics but now they have started giving us hope that we can be involved in certain things. ”

On the anti – drug committee chaired by a former Military Administrator of Lagos State , Buba Marwa , the President ’ s wife recalled how she practically made herself a member to ensure that things went well .
She added , “ I also managed to put myself as member of the committee and the wife of the Vice – President . The wife of the Vice -President ( Dolapo Osinbajo ) has worked very well ; it took her one year to go round schools in Abuja because of the level of abuse. Many girls don’ t go to school because they are afraid of being raped while returning from school or when their parents are away .

“ You know most of their parents are farmers. The revelation is beyond comment. I asked her to publicise her discovery but she didn ’ t ; if she had done so , it would have served as a lesson .

“ Over N 12 bn has been released by the President to take care of trauma cases across the country. Can you please monitor the money ? The ministers are going very soon and the money is being released . ”
On the 2019 polls , she called on the All Progressives Congress to refund the money female contestants spent to purchase nomination forms since the women ended up being marginalised .