N-Power Unpaid Stipends: ‘Lie Of The Century’ - Reps Slam Buhari’s Minister For Fabrication

The 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives' Forum on Friday slammed Sadiya Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, for feeding the press with false information about settlement of stipends of many batches A and B beneficiaries.

Recall AllNews had consistently reported the neglect by Farouq and her ministry in respect of owed stipends of 14, 200 beneficiaries.

Disengaged N-Power batches A and B beneficiaries continue to express their dismay at the inaction of Nigerian authorities as per the owed stipends of exited beneficiaries and the delayed implementation of the NEXIT by the Federal Ministry of the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Six months after the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development asked Batches A and B beneficiaries who are owed multiple months stipends to see their State Focal Person, Farouq, who heads the ministry has continued to ignore their cries.

14,200 bonafide N-Power Batches A and B beneficiaries, who were disengaged from the scheme since July 2020 have not been paid their entitled stipends (many of them owed March to July, and Wema Bank users didn't get paid for June 2020). This, despite the revalidation exercise that happened in October 2020 across major Nigerian states.

Also, since releasing the NEXIT Portal on November 30, 2020 - four months after exiting N-Power Batches A and B beneficiaries, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria which is saddled with N-Power duties have not effected the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Empowerment Programme.

This is despite the fact that hundreds of ex-N-Power beneficiaries have logged on to the NEXIT portal and provided the required additional information for possible placements into the various CBN intervention options.

But while reacting to the owed beneficiaries’ grouse, Farouq said her ministry and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation had successfully cleared all outstanding payments.

“We have sorted out all the backlogs of N-Power payments with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and we have moved on to the next batch,” she had said, according to several Nigerian mainstream media.

This prompted many erstwhile N-Power beneficiaries to fume at Farouq.

AllNews spoke on phone to at least three former N-Power beneficiaries on Friday, who all insist Farouq is not being honest.

Read the full reaction of N-Power Reps via its known Twitter handle below:

LIE OF THE CENTURY*
The attention of the leadership of 36 States and FCT Npower Representatives has been drawn to the lie released by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq @Sadiya_farouq @SpeakerGbaja

— 36 STATES & FCT N-POWER REPS FORUM (@Npower_Reps) May 28, 2021

LIE OF THE CENTURY 

The attention of the leadership of 36 States and FCT Npower Representatives has been drawn to the lie released by the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq in Daily Trust Newspaper that there are no outstanding payments for exited batches A and B Npower volunteers. She states that all beneficiaries in both batches have been settled.

We want to state it explicitly to the world that this is the LIE OF THE CENTURY as the Minister herself affirmed late last year that more than 14,000 Npower beneficiaries have not yet been paid outstanding arrears, and that the Ministry was doing all it takes to pay them. We have direct link with these beneficiaries and from the time she confirmed that statement till now that she released this lie, no payment has been made.

The leadership wants her to respect her herself and her office, and stop all the lies since she assumed office.

In a sane country, the likes of Sadiya Umar Farouq shouldn't be holding any position of authority, having displayed her incompetency consistently.

Dear Minister, we will want you to know that power does not last forever and whatever you sow, you will reap.

We asked for your audience severally to help you know the plight of these beneficiaries and all other whom you exited at a very critical time in the history of humanity, you continually gave deaf ears to us. Please, pay Npower beneficiaries their rightful entitlements.

You know that you didn't pay them #StopTheLieAndPayBatchAandB