By Ozioruva Aliu – Benin City

The immediate past Deputy Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon Pally Iriase has said the introduction of the Social Investment Program (SIP) by the administration of the President Muhammadu Buhari is on a daily basis bringing governance closer to the people of the country.

Iriase said one of his policy as a representative was to always localize people-oriented programs of the federal government which he said the SIP was about.

The former lawmaker stated this in Otuo, near Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo state, during the kick-off ceremony of skill acquisition training programme for no fewer than 300 woman and youths in the Owan Federal Constituency which he represented from 2011 to 2019 adding that Buhari brought dynamism into the SIP which before now was not known to many Nigerians.

He said “What is happening today is the realization of my dream to have our people trained in skills that will make them self-sufficient, that will help them become entrepreneurs and alleviate poverty from Owan Federal Constituency that I represented until recently.

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“My thanks is to the federal government for making human empowerment, social intervention (SIP) a part of governance in Nigeria which was not the case until the Buhari government came on board.

“As it is usual for some of us who love to be responsible representative, we try to dovetail our constituency outreach to the key policies of the federal government.

“It is my own little way to ensure that my constituency intervention fund was channelled appropriately to bequeath skill that will empower members of my constituency.

“I must commend the Federal Government for being determined to make life meaningful for the citizenry.

“You will recall that the 2019 budget did not start early and it is only recently that releases came trickling in respect of projects and programmes that were contained in the 2019 budget. It is those projects and that I facilitated that gave rise to what is happening today.

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“This training, I am told, is in three parts, it is expected to equip the participants and empower them as well. There is no way the government alone can provide the needed jobs for all the citizenry.

“With this programme, the participants are expected to start a more independent life with the little starter pack that will be provided by the government at the end of the training,” he stated.

The traditional ruler of the Otuo community, Chief Segun Ojeabu who was represented by a palace chief, Chief Olorunda Ojeabu commended the government and Iraise for facilitating the programme.

The consultant of the training programme, Mr Isaiah Timothy, said the programme was intentional and meant to direct, guide and encourage the participants.

Vanguard News Nigeria.