Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, says beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme will receive their allowances on 20 December.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she explained that the transition of the programme from the Office of the Vice President to the new ministry was responsible for the delay in salaries.
“The ministry reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that beneficiaries of all the Social Investment Programmes access interventions designed for them within the stipulated guidelines,” she said.
She noted that, “The Home Grown Feeding Programme, which is also a cluster of the NSIP has continued to run smoothly since its transfer to the Ministry. Except for the four states that were submitted during my absence and this has already been treated.
“The Ministry is currently engaging the NSIP Cluster Heads for clarifications; in essence, the handover and taking process for these two programmes is still ongoing.
“Since we came into office, we have been working on a needs and numbers-based assessment of N-Power to reposition it for the future — in order to ensure that the high expectations of young Nigerians that are participating in the program are met in the short, medium and long-term.”
“We have also been working on a transition program for those that are progressing out of NPower — after their 24months in the program have elapsed. Alongside this, we preparing to receive a new intake of participants in the program, who will then participate for 24 months before transitioning on to greater things.
“Beneficiaries will receive their outstanding allowances on 20th December, 2019,” she said.
N-Power beneficiaries took to social media last week to protest the non-payment of salaries and allowances for two months.
…Beneficiaries will receive their outstanding allowances on 20th December, 2019. #NpowerUpdates pic.twitter.com/hWV6sMQI7t
— Sadiya Umar Farouq (@Sadiya_farouq) December 2, 2019