Government Suspends N-Power Program Indefinitely Amid Investigation
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The Nigerian Federal Government has announced the indefinite suspension of the N-Power program. This initiative was initially launched to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment while simultaneously fostering social development within the country.
Readership NG reports that the announcement came from Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, during her appearance on a Saturday TVC news program.
Minister Edu highlighted a series of concerns and irregularities within the program that led to this decisive action.
One of the primary concerns raised by Minister Edu revolves around the presence of beneficiaries who have not been reporting to their designated work locations but still anticipate receiving their monthly allowances. This discrepancy indicates a substantial misalignment between program expectations and actual participant commitment.
Furthermore, it has come to light that certain beneficiaries were supposed to exit the program in 2022 but are still, surprisingly, on the payroll. This particular issue raises serious questions regarding the accuracy of fund utilization and whether the resources allocated for this youth empowerment initiative have been managed efficiently.
“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 in the N-Power program,” Minister Edu stated.
The government’s investigation aims to determine the current number of program participants, assess outstanding payment obligations, and identify those who may no longer be actively engaged in their designated roles.
Furthermore, Edu revealed that the N-Power program would undergo comprehensive restructuring and expansion, suggesting that the government is committed to addressing the issues and potentially relaunching the program in the future.
The N-Power program, initiated by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016, was designed to tackle youth unemployment and enhance social development. It was open to both unemployed graduates and non-graduates aged between 18 and 35.
The program’s primary goal was to equip young Nigerians with the skills and certifications required to thrive in the modern global economy.
