The so much hyped Goodluck Jonathan’s YouWin project initiated to empower 3,600 Nigerians over 3 years with up to N10 million naira each, who will in-turn employ 100,000 many more, has been postponed in what sources say is a move by the Presidency to manipulate the outcome of the programme.

A check on the YouWin project website www.youwin.org.ng reveal that February 19, 2012 which was previously set as the date for notification of winners has been changed to an indefinite date in March, and a flimsy clause was inserted as the reason for the postponement. Hopeful participants have also indicated that they have not received any winning notification or invitation so far from the organizers.

The initial arrangement was to notify winners of the competition on February 19, 2012, and then commence validation of winners and subsequent disbursement of funds through participating banks, but with the new development, that arrangement is farfetched. The organizers now prefer to validate the winners before announcing them. It would be noted that participants were actually validated using biometrics technology at the time of training. It is quite unclear whom or what the organizers are now validating since none of the actual participants has been invited for the “new” validation exercise

Many observers and participants (both international and local) believe that the YouWin project is actually a major (if not the final) test of Nigerians’ trust on the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, especially on his non-interference policy and commitment to fighting corruption and dealing with the unemployment situation ravaging the nation. Participants have already started expressing their disappointments and skepticisms especially at government’s lack of respect of their time and effort committed to the project.

1,200 finalists are expected to be selected from the 6,000 participants invited for training in the 6 geo political zones in the country. Participants had eagerly awaited the notification emails on Sunday, February 19, 2012, as initially scheduled by the organizers after evaluating their business plans. According to the initial selection process, 300 countrywide best business plans would be selected, and then another 150 best from each of the 6 geo political zones would be selected, to make up the 1,200. But with the recent inconsistency by the organizers highly suspected to be the result of a compromise, the YouWin project is now in question.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/jonathan%E2%80%99s-youwin-programme-another-deliberate-hoax

I think EDC the body handling this initiatives should be more transparent with the process and be specific in their decision to avoid issues of distrust in the whole process.

Nonesense - what do you expext from SaharaReporters? Junk as usual.

Why not wait till the March date before talking all the rubbish?

Competition Timeline
Fri Nov 25
First stage business concept submission closes. No entries accepted after this date
(CLOSED)

Sat Dec 3
Notification of second stage candidates and invitation for zonal training will be on a rolling basis as entries are received and evaluated, and completed (CLOSED)

Tue Dec 6
Training for the first batch of second stage candidates starts (CLOSED)

Fri Dec 16
Submission of 2nd stage entries starts on December 16, 2011 and ends on January 15, 2012. Please note that only entries from candidates who attended the training and had their biometrics information collected are eligible and will be reviewed (CLOSED)

Sun Jan 22
Submission of second stage business plan entries NOW CLOSES on this date. All qualifying candidates must submit their business plans by then. (CLOSED)

March 2012
Notification of Winners: The selection of final award winners is currently being finalized. Due to the need to validate some of the winners prior to announcement of results, final result will now be announced in early March 2012

Sahara Reporters like to cry wolf when there is none.

You can't say until the grants are granted

^^^
Why not wait then! They gave a reason for the postponement from February to March.