•N-Power programme to be reformed for efficiency, says Minister

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has concluded payment of April stipends to N-Power beneficiaries.

In a statement circulated to the media today, Saturday, May 23, 2020, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, said: “Last week I promised that the stipends would be paid this week. We encountered some delays on the GIFMIS platform but I can now announce that all N-Power beneficiaries from Batch A and B have been paid their April stipends. We are working hard to streamline the programme for greater efficiency and to provide opportunities for more Nigerian youths. Details will be provided as soon May stipend has been paid.”

News Express learnt that the May 2020 stipend is already being processed.

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) with the mandate to lift citizens out of poverty through capacity building, investment, and direct support. This effort also contributes to the administration’s vision of lifting 100 million people out of poverty by creating opportunities to enhance the productivity of the Nigerian youth.

The programme has enrolled 500,000 beneficiaries thus far – 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018. The beneficiaries were supposed to spend 24 months on the programme but Batch A beneficiaries have spent over 40 months thereby denying other Nigerians an opportunity to access the programme and gain skills for entrepreneurship and employment.

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