Federal Government on Friday says it cannot afford to roll out N300 billion grant for over 500,000 N-Power (Batch A & B) beneficiaries of the N-Power who exited recently from the scheme.
The Director (Press) in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Rhoda Iliya, conveyed the Ministry’s position via a statement obtained by Tribune Online, in response to the protest staged by some of the N-Power beneficiaries at the National Assembly complex, Abuja.
She observed: “On Thursday 23rd of July 2020, a rally at the National Assembly which later proceeded to the Federal Secretariat Complex.
“The protesters claimed to be representatives of the Federal Government’s N-Power beneficiaries that are about to be exited.
“They requested the Federal Government to employ all the 500,000 beneficiaries as well as pay them a grant of N600,000 each.
“The Ministry wishes to state that this demand was not part of the agreement of engagement they signed with the Federal Government, which clearly stipulated that they will be exited after 2 years.
“Furthermore, the government cannot afford the N300 billion they were asking for a grant.
“It is noteworthy to state that the FGN has expended hundreds of billions to N-Power beneficiaries during the last 4 years and is liaising with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, which is responsible for the payment of their stipends, to ensure that any outstanding legitimate claim is settled.
“The Federal Government cannot afford to continue to pay the exited N-Power beneficiaries stipends indefinitely, more so that the process of engagement of new beneficiaries has already begun.
The Ministry even though is not a lending agency, is in contact with other Ministry’s, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) such as CBN and NALDA, to see if the exited beneficiaries can key into their empowerment programmes,” Mrs Iliya stated.
In a related development, the Ministry raised alarm over the fraudulent practice of 14,020 N-Power beneficiaries whose account details were found in other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
the complaint of non-payment of some N-Power beneficiaries during the last exercise, with some alleging non-payment for upward of four months.
“For the records, the Ministry wishes to state that it had always processed, approved and remit necessary information for payments to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (oAGF) whose responsibility it is to credit the various accounts of the beneficiaries using the GIFMIS platform as directed by FGN.

“However, after receiving a complaint of non-payment by some beneficiaries who did same through the ministry, the OAGF (GIFMIS) officially wrote informing the ministry that out of a total of 516,600 N-Power beneficiaries data sent to OAGF for migration in April 2020, only a total of 502,580 data have successfully migrated to the GIFMIS platform, while a total of 14,020 beneficiaries were returned because the beneficiaries’ account details already exist in other MDAs, which is against the established rule of the N-Power Programme. This is verifiable.
“The Honourable Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, regrets any inconvenience this might have caused genuine and eligible beneficiaries just as the OAGF saddled with the responsibility of filtering out those denied is working assiduously to remedy the situation.”

https://tribuneonlineng.com/fg-cant-afford-n300bn-grant-for-exited-n-power-beneficiaries/

Madam minister of Disaster, the FG can afford it. When you imagine the billions of naira and millions of dollars that has been reportedly looted by officials of this govt without accountability, and the huge ransome the FG keeps paying Boko haram terrorists to free hostages, including the running cost of governance for the political class, then you can even afford more. Part of your job as a disaster minister is to look within the govt that appointed you, cos it's been the worst man made disaster the world has even seen.

But you can afford to spend 1.5billion on trivialities. And faint when asked to make account.

Lol

This is why nigeria cannot move forward.14,000plus working in other agencies (this is wickedness,greed,self-fishness). thereby denying other innocent honest hearted 14,000plus the opportunity to make their own input and become self dependent.please this next batch should be properly scrutinize to avoid this costly mistake.the painful part of it all is that this discovered ones may have never visited their respective PPA.they should pay for every dime they have collected.

Npower volunteers should pack well. Government doesn't owe you guys anything. You guys are just being stupid, callous and senseless. So because una vote for Buhari una want him to employ all of una or pay una 600k each. I don't even support buhari or his stupid government but you Npower batch A and C volunteers are just childish with your request. You all were told that it is a 2 years program with 30k stipends and you signed up for it. Why are u guys acting like fools now. I can't even imagine the way you guys think. You guys should pack up for others to come in. For the new applicants, take note that Npower is not a job so don't depend on your 30k peanut salary.

Those entitled jobbers should be disengaged at once.
Nigeria is already overburdened with recurrent expenditures.
They should use their new skills to start a business.

Former N-Power beneficiaries abeg make una give but this woman is a confirmed fraudster.

fernandoc:
But you can afford to spend 1.5billion on trivialities. And faint when asked to make account.

We used it to take care of ourselves...
Who would believe that under a buhari anti corruption government, a government employee would be so uncouth to answer in such manner and there won't be consequences?

Officialgarri says PDP has highjacked the program and now organising these protests.
My question is, who takes the glory if their request are met? It's the same APC politricktians benefitting from the main program now conspiring how to extend their looting tentacles that are behind the protest.