The Senior Special
Assistant to the President on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment, Mr Afolabi
Imoukhuede, said that the federal government had resolved the hiccups in the
stipends of N-Power volunteers.
According to him,
the Federal Government would remit January stipends of non-graduates as well as
February pay for graduates of the N-power programme from Friday.
Imoukhuede told
newsmen on Thursday in Abuja, that efforts were in place to ensure that the
payment against the backdrop of complaints by the beneficiaries of the scheme
over delay in the payment of their monthly stipends since the programme was
moved to a new ministry.
The Minister of
Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya
Farouq, had said that the delay was due to some verification process going on
in the new ministry.
Imoukhuede, while
apologising for the delay, said that the irregular payment cycle experienced in
the last five months would be adduced to efforts to understand the nature of
the programme.
“The minister had
said that she needed to be briefed to understand the process, which we have
done and that is the reason for the hiccups.
“I have the
assurances of the new ministry that the worst days are behind us and I am aware
that the January stipend although late would be paid.
“I am aware that
non-graduates have not been paid yet but as I speak, it is in the final lap and
you should expect payment on or before Friday this week,’’ Imoukhuede said.
He also said that
the February stipend for graduates in the scheme was at the advanced stage.
“And I have
assurances that at the end of this week you should get that and also the
non-graduate also by next week.
“So, we are catching
up on these backlogs and the paperwork and the minister, the permanent
secretary and the directors in the ministry are working late hours to ensure
the worst days are indeed behind us,’’ Imoukhuede said.
He, however, assured
the beneficiaries that there were no plans to deny any of them of their valid
earnings.
According to
Imoukhuede, if you are not paid, it is either you failed validation or you are
on temporary suspension.
“For a few who do
not get paid for failing validation, we reach you from the account record we
get so that you can go and regularise yourself with your bank or update your
bank verification number.
“Once you
regularise, you get your legitimate backlog,’’ he assured.
While noting that
necessary steps would be taken to protect the beneficiaries from identity
theft, Imoukhuede emphasised that payment for those who absconded from work
would be placed on hold.
He dispelled the
notion in some quarters that some non-existent persons were enrolled in the
scheme.
“There are no ghost
workers in N-power.
“Ghost workers as
erroneously used are our volunteers who are in the minority, who abscond from
place of primary assignment and when we get such report we place such people on
payment hold,’’ he said.
Imoukhuede
congratulated the volunteers for being steadfast in the scheme as well as the
female volunteers who were delivered of babies, those married in the leap year
and others who earned promotions or admissions for further studies.
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