Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, says a three-month unpaid stipends of the Npower Batch C2 would be offset within the week.
The minister, in a statement issued on Sunday, assured that all outstanding entitlements for graduate and non-graduate beneficiaries would be paid shortly.
She explained that the delay in the payment was due to some inescapable challenges including technical processes and the end of the fiscal year.
“Regarding the payment of your stipends for the months of October, November and December 2022, please note that it is due to unavoidable and unforeseen challenges, including technical processes and the end of the fiscal year mopping up of funds that have resulted in the delay.
“However, I am pleased to inform you that significant progress has been made in addressing these issues, and funds will be released within the week. Be assured that all outstanding stipends for graduate and non-graduate beneficiaries will be paid shortly. Your plight, particularly in these trying times matters greatly and is well understood,” she stated.
Farouq thanked the beneficiaries for their endurance at the trying time, urging them to continue serving the nation in their places of primary assignment.
The volunteers had in the weekend threatened to stage a nationwide protest on February 22 over their backlog.
In a statement signed by their National Secretary, Bashir Ladan, the beneficiaries insisted that they did not get their stipends for October, November, December 2022 and January 2023. This, they said, compelled them to go to their places of assignment using their personal money for transportation.
The NPower Program was initiated in 2016 meant to empower the youths with employable and entrepreneurship skills.
