N-Power Unpaid Stipends/NEXIT: Your Silence Is Alarming - Scheme's National President To Buhari

Kabiru Pelemi, the National N-Power President has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to wade in to the issue of exited beneficiaries' unpaid stipends as well as delayed NEXIT implementation.

Pelemi who made known his thoughts via his known Twitter handle on Wednesday maintained that Sadiya Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development "has no plan for Nigeria youth".

Your attention is needed here sir @MBuhari your silent over exited N-Power volunteers is becoming alarming. She @Sadiya_farouq has no plan for Nigeria youth and what is the party @OfficialAPCNg doing about N-Powers.@nnekaikem1 @FMHDSD

— Comrade Kabiru Aliyu pelemi (@Kabirupelemi) April 28, 2021

"Your attention is needed here sir @MBuhari your silent over exited N-Power volunteers is becoming alarming. She @Sadiya_farouq has no plan for Nigeria youth and what is the party @OfficialAPCNg  doing about N-Powers. @nnekaikem1 @FMHDSD," Pelemi wrote.

Background

Batches A and B beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s N-Power scheme on Wednesday commenced an online protest in respect of their unpaid stipends from 2020, and the delayed implementation of the NEXIT by the FG.

AllNews understands that the protest - orchestrated by the 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives - is expected to last for two weeks.

The demonstration became imminent following the expiration of the near four-week ultimatum given to the Ministry of the Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, which is headed by Sadiya Farouq.

What brought about this latest action by former N-Power beneficiaries

Recall the 36 States and FCT N-Power forum had on March 16 in a statement signed by Kabiru Pelemi, its national leader, vowed to mobilise 500, 000 Nigerian youths to occupy the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development of Nigeria. The ministry is saddled with National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs), which the N-Power scheme is part of.

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, Sadiya Farouq, who heads the ministry has continued to ignore their cries.

More than 14,000 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.

Pelemi had said that N-Power Batches A and B beneficiaries who were exited from the famed scheme in July 2020 are tired of Minister Sadiya Farouq and her ministry’s delay tactics.

The ultimatum given ended on Monday, 12th April, 2021.

READ ALSO: N-Power Batch C: Scheme Sends Message To Applicants

Established in 2016, the N-Power scheme is one of the national social investment programmes of the federal government targeted at unemployed graduates who are engaged by the government and paid N30,000 monthly stipend.

READ ALSO: N-Power Unpaid Stipends/NEXIT: Today Is Media Protest, Says National President