Beneficiaries of the N-Power program were on Monday in celebratory mood as the Federal Government of Nigeria broke the news of its decision to make payment of the nine months’ arrears it owed.
This disclosure was made during a meeting in Abuja with some beneficiaries of the program through the N-Power National Programme Manager, Akindele Egbuwalo, in his office.
It will be recalled that the federal government had earlier announced the temporary suspension of the program. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, had said this was to enable a reorganization of the N-Power scheme to accommodate more people and ensure beneficiaries’ stipends were promptly paid.
She said in a statement “We will change the modalities so that people will get their delayed stipends, include more people, and relaunch it with a renewed hope concept.”
In a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Egbuwalo said that as a result of the temporary suspension of the program for reorganization and forensic audit, funds had been recovered from the existing payment service providers.
N-Power Arrears Payment Date
The payment date of the nine months arrears owed beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme is to commence from November 2023. The payments will be made in batches.
Egbuwalo stated that “Plans have been put in place by the programme to commence disbursement of the nine months outstanding stipends to beneficiaries from November 2023. Payments will be carried out in installments.”
According to him the N-Powere scheme which is being restructured would be continued as the Renewed Hope Job Creation Programme under the supervision of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The restructured scheme known as the Renewed Hope Job Creation Programme, will absorb one million youths annually under the graduate and non-graduate stream for the next five years, Egbuwalo further stated.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration inaugurated the N-Power Programme as a strategy to combat rising youth unemployment and help increase social development.
