The Founder and the Executive Director of the Civil Awareness and Economic Empowerment Initiative CAEI (the largest Non-Governmental Counter Poverty and Insecurity Organization in Nigeria), Dr Gambo Bala Iggi has weigh in on the controversies rocking the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry and related agencies, saying that most of the emanating faults and fiasco can be attributed to lack of understanding of the concept, and poor operationalisation of the original ideas.
Dr. Iggi who elaborated on the operations of CAEI which since 2012 works with Grassroots Self-Help Humanitarian Associations in partnership with all levels of Nigerian Government, including Traditional and Religious Institutions across Country), remains the brain behind the ideas which were unfortunately hijacked by the former President Muhammadu Buhari Government officials after he shared the ideas with the then President Buhari immediately after the 2015 general election during a verbal congratulatory words exchange, after which the Executive Summary of the Blue Print was packed and officially submitted as instructed.
According to him, the Education and Economic Empowerment programs of Civil Awareness and Economic Empowerment Initiative CAEI had gained traction with over 10,000 members in each State across the country, even as a non-governmental organization. That CAEI, has, before the Inauguration of Buhari Government, paid reasonable monthly allowances to its well Trained projects managing officers, 8 officers in Each ward across Nigeria, Not to talk of the 48 Executive Officers in each level in the State, LGA, Ward and Village Units across Nigeria.
He said, “The most interesting structures in CAEI is the Ward Counter Poverty and Insecurity Committee established in each ward across Nigeria, named as CAEI Ward Projects and Programs’ Promoters Committee WPPC, which is composed of 250 trusted, eminent personalities delegated as members representing Traditional, Religious, Non-indigene residents, Self-help groups and Coalition of opposition Political Parties” Said Dr. G. Iggi.
Dr. Gambo Iggi who is also the National Coordinator of the APC Advocacy and Appeasement Group, as well as the National Coordinator of Tinubu/Shettima Integrated support Movement, said “CAEI was able to train and strategically sourced funds with which it Empowered over 2,000,000 Nigerians with Educational and business items and goods worth N7.5 billion without any government grant, bank loan or donations neither any sort of support from local or international NGOs.
“Among the States CAEI Launched its Empowerment Projects are for example; Anambra State with Business and Educational Items worth 1.2 Billion Naira, Benue State- with Business and Educational Items worth N180 Million, Katsina State, with Business and Educational Items worth N210 Million and No One Naira from Government”.
“As I earlier told you, if we are to take control of the whole Nigeria’s Counter Poverty and Insecurity programs as consultant, we don’t need such amount of the embazzled N3.5 Trillion to kiss Poverty bye bye from Nigeria. This is because we have the experience, we know the way, we can do it, and because it is the patriotic humanitarian Idea we always sleep and wake up with. That’s the difference”
Dr Iggi reiterated confidently that even the CAEI BOT who breached the trust he gave them during his long term illness by omitting his name among the new BOT Leadership, experienced serious failure and set back because the whole concept that established the Organization is his Brainchild which he believes no any Corruptive mind can easily translate the initiative which is Patriotically designed by a genuine philanthropist like him.
Dr. Gambo Iggi, who was a one-time Gubernatorial candidate and a-two time Senatorial Aspirant in Jigawa State, added that, “As I told you earlier, whoever will be appoint today to handle the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Programs and the Project “CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME” in the Ministry of Information, as well as the CAEI itself, will continue to make blunders and the corruption will continue, because they have no knowledge of the Executive Summary of the Idea contents. All are my Intellectual Properties, but no matter what, I will never fight the Party and the Government which I am a part for it’s success”.
“Everything about the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation is my Brainchild. I proposed it and gave same to Buhari Government as requested but the reward I got was being sidelined because the Idea contents were opposed to their Virtual Empowerment and Questionable Money Transfer as well as their Citizens’ degradation Cash distributions in the name of palliative”, Dr. Gambo lamented.
“I am confident that the positivity of all the Programs in that Ministry, essentially need CAEI idea initiator to translate the concept if the Government wishes to continue with the same Programs and Projects in order to reduce the growing Poverty condition in Nigeria. Or alternatively, they may resolve to pause the whole process for new policy ideas that suit them, but not the current N-Power, NSIPA, NIRSAL, and that Social Awareness Project I named “CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME” .Take it, as my challenge to all and I refer you as a journalist and the Present administration including the two former Ministers and those involved in managing the projects, including all those in doubt to browse my name and CAIE on Google and or YouTube Search Links to confirm my challenge:
“And again, Mr Media man, I challenge the Managers of the Ministry and or any NGO in Nigeria, Political Group or Individuals including the so called International Humanitarian Bodies to prove if they can match what CAEI did State by State in Nigeria with Structures as shown in the Videos without any Political agenda” Iggi challenged. He said due to some reasons including the unfulfilled promises made to us by past Government, CAEI is now inactive, but I have written to CAC for reactivation”.
While commending Tinubu administration, Dr. Iggi said “Today I am happy that, President Tinubu, who supports CAEI too, like late Chief Lateef Jakande both from Lagos State, is now at Nigeria’s helm of Affairs, making positive efforts to reorganize Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation for positive changes.