N-Power: Nigerian Govt Says Scheme, Other NSIPs Supervised By EFCC, DSS

The Government of Nigeria has said that the famed N-Power scheme as well as other components of the social investment programmes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration "have a substantial oversight component, involving civil society, and also Federal law enforcement agencies like the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS", AllNews reports.

The apex government made this known about the N-Power scheme vis-à-vis the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday in a series of tweet on its verified handle.

Seemingly clearing any controversy as regards possible corruption in the N-Power programme, the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme and other NSIPs, the Federal Government expounded on Nigeria's National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs).

"The National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs) is the largest Social Investment Programme in Africa. Overseen by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under the leadership of Sadiya Farouq, it comprises 4 programs: N-Power, National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), and the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP)," the government's tweet read.

"N-Power kicked off in 2016, and has between then and 2020 enrolled and supported 500,000 young Nigerians with monthly stipends, in exchange for work placements in education, agriculture and healthcare.

"N-Power has also made available digital skills training under its N-Tech and N-Creative components. More than 100,000 beneficiaries of the N-Power Programme invested their stipends in setting up businesses, and are now business owners.

"The first two batches of N-Power enrollees (Batches A and B) have now come to the end of the programme. Enrolment for the new batch (Batch C) closed in August 2020; more than 5 million young Nigerians applied for the 400,000 spaces available in Batch C.

"Since inception, Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP) has provided loans to more than 2 million Nigerians – traders, artisans, farmers, unemployed youth, etc. During the Covid-19 pandemic alone, GEEP has provided relief (palliative micro-loans) to tens of thousands of petty traders.

"GEEP is 100% digitised; all eligible beneficiaries are captured into an electronic database, including their mobile phone numbers, and supported by facial recognition technology, and disbursements are done into mobile wallets.

"GEEP‘s loan processes (Enumeration, Verification, Disbursement and Repayment) are all carried out using technology solution wholly designed and developed by Nigerian technology start-ups.

"As at July 31, 2020, the Conditional Cash Transfer programme was in 39,901 communities in 429 LGAs of 34 States and the FCT, with 1.289 million benefiting households, comprising a total of 6.443 million persons.

"Because of COVID-19 school closures, a modified version of was introduced between May & July 2020, as a pilot program in FCT, Lagos & Ogun. In this modified program, instead of cooked food, raw food portions were handed out as take-home rations for pupils’ households.

"Between May 14, 2020, and July 6, 2020, 29,609 households in the FCT, 37,589 households in Lagos and 60,391 households in Ogun benefited from this modified National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, making a total of 124,589 households impacted.

"The NSIP components have a substantial oversight component, involving civil society, and also Federal law enforcement agencies like the EFCC, ICPC and DSS.

"For example, to ensure transparency in the implementation of the Modified School Feeding Programme, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria partnered with the World Food Programme as technical partners and also invited the EFCC, ICPC, DSS and a number of NGOs to monitor the process.

READ ALSO: N-Power Batch C 2020: 3 Months After Application Closed, Nigerian Youths Anxious About Next Step

"The Household Uplifting Programme (HUP) has seen scrutiny from a DFID-funded project called MANTRA.

"Also, N-Power Beneficiaries are paid directly by the Federal Government from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) into BVN-verified accounts."

The @NSIP_NG is the largest Social Investment Programme in Africa. Overseen by @FMHDSD, under the leadership of @Sadiya_farouq, it comprises 4 programs:@npower_ng @NHGSFP @geep_ng @HUPcct #Thread

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

.@npower_ng kicked off in 2016, and has between then and 2020 enrolled and supported 500,000 young Nigerians with monthly stipends, in exchange for work placements in education, agriculture and healthcare.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

.@npower_ng has also made available digital skills training under its N-Tech and N-Creative components.

More than 100,000 beneficiaries of the N-Power Programme invested their stipends in setting up businesses, and are now business owners.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

The first two batches of @npower_ng enrolees (Batches A and B) have now come to the end of the programme. Enrolment for the new batch (Batch C) closed in August 2020; more than 5 million young Nigerians applied for the 400,000 spaces available in Batch C.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

Since inception, @geep_ng has provided loans to more than 2 million Nigerians – traders, artisans, farmers, unemployed youth, etc. During the Covid-19 pandemic alone, GEEP has provided relief (palliative micro-loans) to tens of thousands of petty traders.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

@geep_ng is 100% digitised; all eligible beneficiaries are captured into an electronic database, including their mobile phone numbers, and supported by facial recognition technology, and disbursements are done into mobile wallets.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

As at July 31, 2020, the Conditional Cash Transfer programme @HUPcct was in 39,901 communities in 429 LGAs of 34 States and the FCT, with 1.289 million benefiting households, comprising a total of 6.443 million persons.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

Because of Covid-19 school closures, a modified version of @NHGSFP was introduced between May & July 2020, as a pilot program in FCT, Lagos & Ogun. In this modified program, instead of cooked food, raw food portions were handed out as take-home rations for pupils’ households.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

Between May 14, 2020 and July 6, 2020, 29,609 households in the FCT, 37,589 households in Lagos and 60,391 households in Ogun benefited from this modified @NHGSFP, making a total of 124,589 households impacted.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

The @NSIP_NG components have a substantial oversight component, involving civil society, and also Federal law enforcement agencies like the EFCC, ICPC and DSS.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

For example, to ensure transparency in the implementation of the Modified School Feeding Programme, @FMHDSD partnered with the World Food Programme as technical partners and also invited the EFCC, ICPC, DSS and a number of NGOs to monitor the process.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

The @HUPcct has seen scrutiny from a DFID-funded project called MANTRA.

Also, @npower_ng Beneficiaries are paid directly by the Federal Government from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) into BVN-verified accounts.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) November 11, 2020

It would be recalled that hundreds of beneficiaries who were exited from the N-Power scheme earlier this year have 5 months' outstanding stipend arrears.