VAM News Update

THE Federal Government has announced the indefinite suspension of the N-Power program.

Betta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, made the announcement while featuring on a TVC news program on Saturday.

She said the decision was birthed by some irregularities within the scheme, noting that the government has launched investigation into the utilization of funds since the program began.

The Minister claimed that some of the beneficiaries are not found in their place of assignments yet they expect monthly stipends.

According to her, some of the beneficiaries ought to have exited the program since 2022 but are still on the payroll.

She said, “We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the programe for now until we are done with proper investigation into the utilization of fund into the N-Power program.

“We want to know how many persons are basically on the program right now, how many persons are owed, amount they are owed. We are totally restructuring the N-Power and expanding it.

“There are lots going on. We met people who are supposed to have exited the program since last year and they are still on claiming that they are still teaching.

“Sometimes we contact the school or the places where they are working and they are not there. They are not working yet they keep claiming that they are being owed eight or nine months stipends.

“About 80 percent of them are not working yet they are claiming salaries”.

VAM News reports that N-Power Program was launched by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue of youth unemployment and help increase social development.