FG To Pay Nine Months N-Power Arrears From November

FG Announces Date for Payment of N-Power Debts

The Federal Government has indicated that it is ready to begin paying backlogs of nine months to N-Power beneficiaries starting in November.

It made the announcement on Monday through the N-Power National Programme Manager, Akindele Egbuwalo, who made the disclosure at a meeting with some N-Power recipients in his Abuja office.

In a statement made by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Egbuwalo indicated that the main reason for the program’s interim suspension was to resolve all issues immediately affecting participants.

According to the statement, he asserted that cash had been recovered from the existing payment service providers as a result of the temporary suspension of the program for a complete restructuring and forensic audit.

“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 installment,” Egbuwalo said.

He stated that the N-Power initiative will be renamed the Renewed Hope Job Creation initiative and will be overseen by the humanitarian ministry.

According to Egbuwalo, the scheme will be expanded to target five million beneficiaries in five years, with one million adolescents absorbed each year under the graduate and non-graduate streams.

Sani Garba, a Yobe State beneficiary present at the meeting, stated that beneficiaries’ main worries were the delayed nine-month stipends.

Due to insufficient information, he added, different clusters of N-Power beneficiaries organized a countrywide protest.

“Sir, as you have clearly explained the current situation of payment to us, myself and other cluster of beneficiaries represented here are assuring you that we have understood your position and taken your assurances, there is no need for any protest,” Sani Garba stated.