*STILL ON OUR BACKLOG PAYMENTS...*

We are not always happy saying this, but it is very unfortunate how the Federal Government keeps promising and failing us on the payment of our backlogs.

Few weeks ago, we were told as usual that all backlogs would be cleared by July ending; July is gone and we are now into August and no more talks about the backlogs whereas we still have a good number of volunteers who are owed some months, ranging from one to five months.

Funny but pitiable enough, they have their own subtle manner of always dousing our tensions and distracting us from focus...

Now, device collection has been introduced as a way of luring us, and the noise all over the social platforms is about device and SMS for device collection, and worst still, visits to the Npower Situation Room as if that will fetch us our stipends or any other additional bonus. Deceptively, the much acclaimed device distribution is done selectively and scantily; so far, it has been distributed to very few volunteers in two states out 36.

*What is now becoming of our backlogs...*

On a more sincere note, we demand that the Npower Team come open to us about the status and statistics of our backlogs. We would even have loved them to tell us frantically there is no more backlogs to be paid, so that we would clear our mind and concentrate only on current payments, instead of keeping giving us excuses that do not hold...

At this juncture, we wish to briefly expatiate on the meaning of backlogs as it has severally been misinterpreted...

Please, note that by backlogs, we mean arrears payments of already verified, qualified and cleared volunteers. By implication it means all recently cleared volunteers are entitled to their backlogs stipends, depending on month of verification, including those verified in December but yet to receive December stipends.

Conclusively, we call on all concerned authorities and stakeholders into the scheme to ensure the right thing is done at the right time. Every verified and qualified volunteer must be paid accordingly. In the case of no more payments of arrears, their stance must be made public, and the reason for such decision must be known as well. But in all fairness, all qualified volunteers must be equally paid without discrepancy.

Thanks.