In order to ensure accurate evaluation of all the government’s poverty alleviation programme, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has engaged and trained about 40 Independent Monitors (IMs), stream two in Ogun State.

Speaking at the training in Abeokuta, the Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq represented by the Special Assistant to the Hon. Minister on Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Idris Shehu said that Monitors were one of the most important components of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).

Hajiya Farouq noted that the Independent Monitors were responsible for monitoring the NSIP Programmes in their communities, schools, households and market clusters with the focus on ensuring that the primary objectives of the programmes were jointly achieved.

She charged the newly trained monitors to work closely with the State NSIP teams, as their work cannot be done in a vacuum, noting that anyone found intimidating a beneficiary would be taken off the programme.

“They have been given the prerequisites training and received engagement letters and tablets as working tools for monitoring, the incoming Stream 2 Independent Monitors are expected to continue using the same platform to report their activities from the field,” she said

In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter- governmental Affairs, Dr. Rotimiolu Akinlesi, noted that the training was aimed at providing the Independent Monitors with the necessary technical know-how and the right skills with tools, urging them to be fair, objective and avoid personal interest in carrying out their duties.

Akinlesi admonished the Monitors to carry out the task diligently, passionately, effectively, wholeheartedly and with a sense of patriotism while working towards a setting goal and vision.

Two of the trainees, Messer Mustapha Aderemi Hafeez and Akinlade Nurudeen Olanrewaju from Odogbolu Local Government and Abeokuta South Local Government respectively, said the exercise would go a long way in getting the desired feedback to the Federal government in order to achieve the desired goal, pledging to diligently and effectively discharge their duties in the State.