The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken the decision to suspend the N-Power programme indefinitely due to irregularities within the scheme.
The government has initiated an investigation into the utilization of funds allocated to the program since its inception.
Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, made this announcement during an appearance on a TVC news program. She pointed out that there have been issues with some beneficiaries who are not present at their designated work assignments but still expect to receive monthly stipends.
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Furthermore, Edu noted that some beneficiaries were supposed to have exited the program in 2022 but are still receiving payments. These irregularities have raised concerns about the effectiveness and accountability of the N-Power initiative.
“We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the program for now until we are done with a proper investigation into the utilization of funds into the N-Power program.
“We want to know how many persons are basically on the program right now, how many persons are owed, amount they are owed. We are totally restructuring the N-Power and expanding it.
“There are lots going on. We met people who are supposed to have exited the program since last year and they are still claiming that they are still teaching.
“Sometimes we contact the school or the places where they are working and they are not there. They are not working yet they keep claiming that they are being owed eight or nine months stipends. About 80 percent of them are not working yet they are claiming salaries,” she said.
The decision to suspend the program will likely have implications for the beneficiaries who have come to rely on the stipends provided by N-Power. The investigation into the program’s funds and operations aims to address these irregularities and ensure that public resources are being used efficiently and transparently.
The N-Power Program was initiated during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari with the aim of addressing youth unemployment and contributing to social development in Nigeria. It was designed to provide job opportunities and skills development for young Nigerians, particularly graduates and non-graduates, to enhance their employability and economic well-being.
The programme has about 500,000 enrollees who were receiving N30,000 monthly from the federal government.
However, the recent suspension of the N-Power program indicates that there have been irregularities in its implementation, which have influenced Bola Tinubu’s administration’s decision to sideline it.
The program’s future and potential reforms may depend on the findings of this investigation and the government’s commitment to addressing the identified issues.