The N-Power program, initiated by the Federal Government, has been temporarily suspended due to various irregularities within the scheme. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, made this announcement during an interview on TVC News on Saturday. The suspension has been put in place to facilitate a thorough investigation into the program’s fund utilization.
Recall that the N-Power program was originally launched by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to address youth unemployment and promote social development.
According to Minister Edu, the decision to suspend the N-Power program stems from concerns related to beneficiaries who have not been fulfilling their assignments while still expecting monthly stipends. Some beneficiaries should have exited the program as of 2022, but they continue to receive payments.
Edu emphasized the need to revisit and address the issues plaguing the N-Power program comprehensively. She stated, ” We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the programe for now until we are done with proper investigation into the utilization of fund into the N-Power program.”
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu
The government aims to determine the current number of program participants, the outstanding payment amounts, and the legitimacy of claims. There are plans to restructure and expand the N-Power program to make it more effective.
Minister Edu highlighted the issue of beneficiaries who have not been actively engaged in their designated roles. “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 on 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,” she said, adding that approximately 80 percent of such cases involve individuals who are not working yet claiming salaries.
