My husband’s social investment programmes have failed – Aisha Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has fiercely criticised the social investment programmes (SIP) of the administration, saying there was little evidence to show that a good chunk of its budget was judiciously utilised.

Ms Buhari said the initiative has failed to reach its intended beneficiaries in at least Adamawa and Kano. Although the programme was designed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has continued to coordinate its implementation, Mrs Buhari blamed a presidential aide, Maryam Uwais, for its shortcoming.

“I am sure that my husband decided to put somebody from Kano because of the population and political impact it made,” Mrs Buhari was reported as saying during a State House function with women last weekend.

She said she learnt from other administration officials that 30,000 women in Adamawa would receive N10,000 each, but only a few people have benefitted despite the programme being in its third year.

Mrs Buhari said she had long been uncomfortable with the programme’s implementation, but she had been reluctant to speak up about it for fear of being labelled a talkative.

But when she made findings, she discovered that key aspects of the programme were not properly implemented in Adamawa and Kano, she said.

“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 N3,000 and N4,000. Do not forget that we have campaigned to give the poorest of the poor N5,000 every month.

“So I don’t know where the social investment..maybe it worked out in some states. In my own state, only a local government benefited out of the 22.

“I did not ask what happened and I do not want to know but for it to fail woefully in Kano, it is not a good sign and it is not a good thing,” Mrs Buhari said.

She also criticised ‘government’s claim’ that $16 million and N12 billion had been spent on mosquito nets and trauma equipment, respectively. She asked women in the audience to hold public officials accountable for their handling of developmental funds.

– Premium Times