The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has initiated the payment of long-awaited arrears to beneficiaries of the N-Power program.
The move, which began implementation recently, marks a crucial step in addressing lingering financial disparities faced by participants in the government’s youth-focused empowerment scheme.
N-Power, conceived in 2016 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was designed to confront the challenges of youth unemployment while fostering social development across the country.
However, beneficiaries found themselves awaiting several months’ worth of salaries owed by the previous administration.
Upon assuming office, President Bola Tinubu paused the disbursements, aiming to rectify underlying issues within the program before resuming payments.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, shared insights into the resumption of payments during a recent appearance on Channels Television’s “Politics Today.”
Minister Edu clarified that the government prioritized addressing lapses within the N-Power program before reactivating it, demonstrating a commitment to transparency and efficiency.
“Presently, a payment for N-Power is ongoing; we were in the office yesterday up until the early hours of this morning, just to ensure that young people get monies that they have been owed from the last government,” Minister Edu stated during the interview.
The renewed financial support aims to alleviate the financial burdens faced by N-Power beneficiaries, fostering economic stability and contributing to the overall reduction of unemployment in the nation.
The ongoing disbursement process signifies the government’s dedication to restructuring the program and ensuring that all outstanding payments are settled promptly.
While the “Renewed Hope N-Power” has not been officially relaunched, Minister Edu emphasized the government’s focus on rectifying issues from previous years.
She explained that a consultant, responsible for managing payments to N-Power beneficiaries, had delayed disbursements for months.
In response, the government reclaimed the funds, initiating a meticulous scrutiny of beneficiaries to facilitate the arrears payment.
“We used to have a consultant who used to manage the payments of these monies to the N-Power beneficiaries. However, the monies were being held up with the consultants for months without paying the beneficiaries. So, what the government did was to recover the money back into the government’s TSA CBN account and now started scrutiny of the beneficiaries, which took us this while to do, and that is why we appeal to the young people to be patient,” Minister Edu explained.
As the N-Power beneficiaries witness the fulfillment of overdue financial commitments, the government’s commitment to sustainable job creation and economic empowerment remains at the forefront, paving the way for a more resilient and prosperous future for Nigerian youth.
