Photo File : Combo picture of President Bola Tinubu and Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Bola Tinubu to directly spearhead efforts to tackle widespread poverty in Nigeria, rather than leaving the responsibility solely to state governors.

In a statement released on Sunday, Falana responded to comments made by President Tinubu during a recent meeting with governors elected under the All Progressives Congress (APC). At the meeting, the President acknowledged the economic hardship confronting citizens and urged the governors to “wet the grass” by delivering progressive change.

Quoting Tinubu’s remarks—“Nigerians are still complaining at the grassroots. To you, the governors, you must wet the grass more and deliver progressive change to Nigerians. May God bless our democracy and grant us more fertile lands”—Falana said such appeals must be matched by decisive federal action.

“Instead of begging state governments to ‘wet ground more’, President Bola Tinubu is urged to ensure that the National Social Investment Programme Agency Act is adopted and enacted into law by the 36 state governments,” Falana said.

He stressed that the federal government must take ownership of the fight against poverty by prioritizing and adequately funding existing welfare schemes. According to him, this would have a more direct and sustainable impact than routine exhortations to governors.

Falana criticized the Federal Government for allocating only ₦32.7 billion to the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in the 2025 budget—an amount he said was unjustifiable when compared to the ₦39 billion reportedly spent on renovating the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

“A government that recently claimed to have spent ₦39 billion renovating the International Conference Centre cannot justify allocating just ₦32.7 billion to social investment programme targeting 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians,” he argued.

The NSIP was established under the 2023 Social Investment Programme Agency Act to implement initiatives like N-Power for youth employment, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme for access to credit, school feeding for children, and conditional cash transfers to vulnerable households.

Falana maintained that funds to scale up these programme are available, pointing to the ₦11.195 trillion disbursed through the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to states, local governments, and the Federal Capital Territory in the last year.

He also cited a Budget report revealing that the 2025 federal budget was padded with 11,122 questionable projects amounting to ₦6.93 trillion—representing 12.5% of the ₦54.99 trillion signed into law by President Tinubu on February 28.

He further questioned the moral credibility of a system in which lawmakers receive up to ₦21 million and ₦15 million in monthly emoluments for senators and House of Representatives members respectively, while essential welfare programme remain underfunded.

Falana acknowledged the Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of ₦3.5 trillion for roads, airports, and infrastructure, but said similar urgency should be applied to social development. He urged the federal government to approve a minimum of ₦5 trillion for the NSIP.

To ensure transparency and effectiveness, he recommended that the management of the fund should include not only government officials but also elected representatives from trade unions and credible civil society organizations.