The N-Power National Programme Manager, Dr. Akindele Egbuwalo, had announced that the Federal Governmment is targeting 5million beneficiaries in 5years at a pace of 1million per year under the graduate and non-graduate stream.
In a press statement, the N-Power National Programme Manager, said this restructuring and transformation will also birth an expanded programme to reach beneficiaries aged 18-40 as against the previous age limit of 35.
“To earn the confidence of Nigerians in the expanded programme,” Egbuwalo said. Transparency and accountability will be the benchmark.”
According to him, “It shall no longer be business as usual as we make concerted efforts to put the nation on the right footing, adding that no one directly or indirectly unleashes suffering on Nigerians.”
As he explained that suspension of the Programme was imperative following the discovery of sharp practices in the last twelve months, the Manager said that the restructuring will accommodate some new programmes in Education, Health, Works, Agriculture, Technology, Fashion, Entertainment and other relevant areas of skill acquisition and employability.
Egbuwalo’ account of reasons for the suspension of the program Include the need to audit the number of people in the programme, those who have exited the programme, those who are being owed, whether they reported to work or not and how funds have been utilised over this period.
With a gut feeling of having made a good decision, Egbuwalo said that some beneficiaries must honour their obligation to the programme.
“They do not report to their places of primary assignments as required but still receive monthly payments,” he noted.
“Recently, we discovered instances of programme beneficiaries whose participation has lapsed since 2022 but have remained on and continue to expect payments from the government.”
After he had explained that those instances inform the need for a thorough audit, he also declared that they will also look into claims of those being owed for up to eight to nine months stipends to ascertain the veracity of their claims.
“I assure all beneficiaries with genuine claims that the Federal Governmment will not owe anybody,” he said. “It will resolve all cases and honour all valid outstanding obligations once the verification exercise is completed.”