The House of Representatives has called on President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action by directing the unfreezing of the accounts belonging to the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA) within 72 hours.

This decision was reached on Tuesday after a motion was presented by Deputy Speaker Ben Kalu and supported by 32 other lawmakers.

The suspension was a response to widespread allegations of corruption and mismanagement within the sector.

The lawmakers expressed concern that the continued freezing of NSIPA’s accounts is hindering critical programs aimed at reducing poverty and supporting vulnerable Nigerians.

The NSIPA is responsible for managing key social intervention schemes, including N-Power, which provides skills and employment opportunities for Nigerian youth; the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), which offers microloans to small business owners and artisans; the Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), designed to provide direct financial support to poor households; and the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), which delivers meals to schoolchildren across the country to improve enrollment and nutrition.

During the plenary session, Ben Kalu emphasized the importance of restoring NSIPA’s financial operations, stating that doing so aligns with President Tinubu’s broader vision of eradicating poverty in Nigeria.

He stressed that unlocking the agency’s accounts would ensure that these social programs remain efficient, effective, and impactful, particularly during a time when millions of Nigerians are grappling with economic hardships.

The House urged the federal government to promptly release funds to NSIPA to enable the payment of outstanding stipends owed to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries across the country.

The delayed stipends have caused significant hardship for many young Nigerians who depend on the program to sustain themselves and their families.

In addition to addressing the financial constraints of NSIPA, lawmakers called for a comprehensive review of the agency’s operations to prevent future mismanagement and ensure transparency in the use of public funds.

They noted that resolving these issues swiftly is crucial for maintaining momentum in the administration’s poverty alleviation goals and rebuilding public trust in government-led social intervention programs.