A desperate plea has been launched by beneficiaries of the federal government job creation scheme; Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWin!) which was launched by the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The 1500 beneficiaries of the third phase of the program in a statement alleged that more about 4, 500 other people who got employement under them were at the risk of losing their job after the federal government left them unattended to in the past five months.

A statement by Mr. Adindueme Hans on behalf of the 1500 YouWin awardees said they have been left to face financial and operational hardships as a result of the federal government’s refusal to honour its commitment.

They appealed to the ministry of finance to fulfill the payment of the second and third tranche of its financial commitment to them before it was too late.

‘‘We have made all the necessary approvals but have not seen the payment. We have asked for the reason for the delay and they have not been forthcoming,” Hans said in the statement adding some of their employees at the verge of losing their jobs had resigned their previous employment to join them.

“Such efforts deserve prompt payments,” he said.

“The first installment was scheduled for a November 2014 release, but was paid in January 2015. Since then, awardees have not been given the scheduled May and October payments despite a signed legal agreement,” the statement further said.

The YouWIN! Programme was designed by the government to create jobs and encourage young people who have business ideas to execute them and employ more people.