Beneficiaries of N-Power in Bauchi State have lamented the inability of the Federal Government to pay them earned exit allowances as promised despite completing the service for two years.
The beneficiaries said the delay being experienced in the payment of their exit package impeded their resolve to start up one form of business or another after relying heavily on the N30,000 monthly stipend paid to them while in active service to the nation through the scheme.
Bauchi State N-power Ambassador, Salihu Umar, who is also the Chairman of the group, said that the package when released, will enable them to become more self-reliant and productive as well as the future of the society and the nation at large.
“It could be recalled in March 2022, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) organised an entrepreneurial training for the beneficiaries.
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“The Business plans of the beneficiaries were submitted based on the choice of a business that each beneficiary wants, to establish his own business and funds were promised to be disbursed, so for that reason, we are patiently waiting without any protest.
“At this point, the peaceful and law-abiding N-power beneficiaries of Bauchi State on behalf of all N-power beneficiaries in Nigeria are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari, through the office of the Honorable Minster of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to fulfil its long awaiting promise to N-power volunteers,” he said.
Ambassador Umar dissociated law-abiding beneficiaries of the scheme from the controversial protest some self-appointed individuals staged over the inability of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouk to process payment of their exit allowances.
The N-Power scheme is being implemented by the Sadiya’s ministry.
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He added, “this is to inform the general public that the Bauchi State N-Power beneficiaries are hereby dissociating themselves from a felonious protest organised by an abhorrent group of individuals who claim to be N-Power beneficiaries while apparently, they are unknown individuals, who are trying to cause chaos and upheaval around the issue.
“Security-wise, the Bauchi state volunteers who benefited from the N-Power program are hereby letting the security agencies (Police, DSSS, and NSCDC) know that we are not in any way associated with the perpetrators of the protest and will never be of that kind, considering the security situation of the country.”
Salisu called on the beneficiaries to be prayerful, optimistic and remain calm as they await the disbursement”
He denied the allegation that some powerful individuals sponsored them to address the Journalists saying, “for years we have enjoyed a monthly stipend of N30, 000 from the Federal Government, if we cannot say thank you, then we must not embark on any protest to embarrass it”.
