Nigeria’s Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has revealed a series of challenges plaguing the NPower program, vowing to overhaul the initiative to ensure it fulfills its mission of alleviating poverty for millions of Nigerians.

During the Arise TV interview, Minister Edu expressed her commitment to transforming the NPower program and addressing its longstanding issues.

She explained that the NPower payment list contains the names of individuals who should not be part of the program, revealing the gravity of the problems that her ministry is actively working to rectify.

“First of all, when we came onboard, we found lots of issues with the NPower program that made us re-engage the entire plan,” Edu stated. “One of the things was that there were persons registered on the NPower beyond the envelope that was provided for the program.”

The revelation of individuals beyond the program’s intended scope raises questions about the program’s effectiveness in targeting those most in need of assistance.

Edu further highlighted financial mismanagement as a critical issue affecting NPower beneficiaries. “Funds were released for payment for people under NPower, and they were not paid in a timely manner by the managers of the funds of the NPower beneficiaries,” she declared.

This mismanagement of funds not only hinders the program’s ability to provide timely support but also undermines the trust of beneficiaries in the system.

Perhaps the most concerning aspect disclosed by the minister is the inclusion of individuals on the payment list who should not be there and those who do not contribute to the program despite receiving payments.

Edu said, “There were also people who were on the payment list who are not supposed to be there, and there are persons who are there but are not providing any services but have been enrolled to have payment.”

Such irregularities in the program’s implementation not only waste resources but also deprive those genuinely in need of the support they require.

Also, Edu acknowledged the issue of individuals who had surpassed their allotted time with the NPower program but still expected to receive payments. She referred to this as an “exit plan,” which has led to continued financial obligations that the program may not be able to sustain.

To address these pressing concerns, Minister Edu disclosed that a committee has been established to scrutinize and provide recommendations for improving the NPower program. The committee, headed by the secretary of the ministry, is expected to propose reforms based on its findings.

Minister Edu’s commitment to reforming the NPower program aligns with the broader goal of President Tinubu’s administration to uplift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030, in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She declared, “For poverty alleviation, we are targeting at least 133 million Nigerians between now and 2030, which is in line with the SDGs that we signed at the United Nations.”

However, Edu emphasized that the government is not content with maintaining the status quo.

“The difference here is that we are not going to continue doing things the same way and expect different results,” she affirmed.

“There are different plans we are working on, and we believe very strongly that by the next one year, we should be able to say that at least we have removed 20 million Nigerians out of poverty.”

The commitment to addressing the NPower program’s flaws and the ambitious goal of poverty eradication signal a new direction in the fight against poverty in Nigeria, one that aims to be more efficient, transparent, and impactful for the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.