N-Power: FG Gives Fresh Update on Delayed Payment of Stipends as Beneficiaries Protest

• N-Power beneficiaries have expressed frustration over months of delay in the payment of stipends
• They claim that the continuous delay in payment is making it hard for them to stay committed to the program
• However, the Federal Government has offered some assurance to address the pending issues.

Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the stock market.

Some participants in the Federal Government's N-Power Programme have expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing postponement of their monthly stipend disbursements amounting to N30,000.

The beneficiaries emphasized that the persistent delays in receiving their N30,000 monthly stipends are causing increasing unease and frustration.

The program's enrollees are experiencing delays despite the Federal Government's earlier announcement that it would commence payment of the 9-month backlog.

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Enrollees lament delay in stipend payment

Francisco Noah, a recipient of the N-Teach category within Batch C1, currently employed as a teacher at a Nomadic School in Keffi, Nasarawa State, disclosed that the payment delay has compelled him to cease attending to students at the school.

According to The Nation, he explained that the situation is particularly challenging as transportation costs sometimes pose difficulties for him in reaching the Nomadic School.

Noah, expressing his dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay, highlighted that the last time he received his stipend was in November 2022.

Usman Dantala, a participant in Batch C2 under the Agro sector, is currently facing a nine-month backlog of stipend payments despite numerous assurances of disbursement.

Having joined the program in October 2022, Dantala lamented that he had received payment for only three months since his involvement in the initiative began.

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Dantala said:

I have done all the necessary documentation and verification since then I was only paid for three months.

FG pledges to pay 9-month backlogs

In response, Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the National Programme Manager of the N-Power Scheme, issued a statement reaffirming their commitment to addressing all pending issues for the beneficiaries.

Egbuwalo, who had previously declared a temporary suspension of the program, clarified that the government would prioritize settling payments for those with legitimate claims.

Egbuwalo said:

We appeal to Nigerians to understand the rationale behind the temporary suspension and investigation of the scheme as we work to restore the nation’s confidence in it.

It would be recalled that Betta Edu, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, had temporarily suspended the program.

The Federal Government introduced the N-Power scheme on June 8, 2016, to tackle youth unemployment and enhance social interventions.

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This initiative was established as part of the federal government's broader National Social Investment Programme Agency (N-SIPA).

N-Power speaks on possible recruitment, pending payments

In related news, Legit.ng had reported that N-Power had pledged to address the issues related to the delay of stipends to beneficiaries and further recruitments.

It stated that genuine information about pending payments and portal-related issues would be communicated via the official accounts of the job creation and empowerment initiative of the Nigerian government's social investment programmes.

Source: Legit.ng