The Nigerian House of Representatives has given President Bola Tinubu 72 hours to unfreeze NSIPA accounts, demanding the resumption of vital welfare programmes.

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a dramatic escalation, the Nigerian House of Representatives has issued a stern ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, demanding the immediate unfreezing of all accounts belonging to the National Social Investment Programmes Agency (NSIPA).

The lawmakers have given the president a strict 72-hour deadline to lift the freeze or face further political consequences.

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The resolution, adopted during a plenary session on Tuesday, was led by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and supported by 20 other lawmakers.

This unified call for urgent action is aimed at restarting critical welfare initiatives that have been stalled since January 12.

The freeze on NSIPA accounts came after allegations of financial mismanagement within the agency, leading President Tinubu to suspend Halima Shehu, the agency’s former CEO, and Betta Edu, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Badamasi Lawal was subsequently appointed as Shehu’s successor, but despite the leadership change, the agency’s operations have remained at a standstill.

The lawmakers have tasked President Tinubu with directing Finance Minister Wale Edun to immediately lift the freeze on NSIPA’s accounts.

They insist this action is essential for the resumption of several suspended social welfare schemes, including the N-Power programme, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, and the Home-Grown School Feeding Initiative.

Millions of Nigerians have been affected by the suspension of these programmes, which directly impact the livelihoods of the most vulnerable citizens.

The lawmakers have particularly called for the immediate release of funds to pay overdue stipends to 395,731 N-Power beneficiaries across the country.

With the 72-hour deadline now set, the tension between the executive and legislative branches is rising, as the government faces mounting pressure to act swiftly.

If the freeze is not lifted within the stipulated time, the House of Representatives may pursue further legislative measures to ensure the resumption of these vital welfare programmes.

Source: Read more at vanguardngr.com