The Federal Government presented additional reasons for suspending the N-Power programme on Sunday, noting that the plan had ghost beneficiaries and that some of its advisors were currently withholding participant cash.
Over one million Nigerians had lost their jobs as a result of the government’s indefinite suspension of the N-Power scheme, which was announced on Saturday by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
The N-Power scheme was developed by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to alleviate youth unemployment, with beneficiaries receiving a monthly stipend of N30,000.
Akindele Egbuwalo, National Programme Manager N-Power, indicated on Sunday that the scheme had ghost workers who should be eliminated, as further reasons for the scheme’s suspension.
On concerns about consultants of the scheme, he said, “Preliminary findings of our audit have shown that some consultants are holding on to beneficiaries’ funds disbursed to them long ago even when their contract ended in March 2023 without any renewal.
“We condemn this practice and will not tolerate it going forward. Work is ongoing to identify those involved, understand why the payments didn’t get to the final beneficiaries, and recall the funds to pay those owed.
“We appeal to Nigerians to understand the rationale behind the temporary suspension and investigation of the programme as we work to restore the nation’s confidence in the programme and for the new N-Power to serve Nigerians better. Things have to be properly done for us to move forward.”
Egbuwalo said the ongoing restructuring and transformation would also birth an expanded programme to reach beneficiaries aged 18-40 (the previous age limit was 35).