Nigerian Government Suspends N-Power Programme Indefinitely, Cites Abuse Of Funds

The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has announced the indefinite suspended N-Power programme.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, who announced the suspension of the programme during an interview with TVC News on Saturday said that the programme was suspended sequel to several flaws within the scheme.

According to the Minister, the government has launched an investigation into the utilisation of funds meant for the programme since it started.

Edu also noted that some of the beneficiaries of N-Power are not found in their place of primary assignments yet, they expect monthly stipends, adding that some of the beneficiaries should have left the programme since 2022 but are still on the payroll.

The N-Power Programme was introduced by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as part of efforts to combat youth unemployment and promote social development in the country.

The minister during the interview said, “We must go back to look into N-Power and understand what the problems are so we will basically suspend the programme for now until we are done with proper investigation into the utilisation of funds into the N-Power programme.

“We want to know how many persons are basically on the program right now, how many persons are owed, the amount they are owed. We are totally restructuring 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.”