We’re not a lending agency, Humanitarian Affairs Ministry says

By Joseph Erunke

THE Federal Government, Friday,reminded aggrieved N-Power enrollees protesting the end of their engagements in the scheme that there was no agreement for their permanent employment, adding that there was no agreement that they would be given grant upon expiration of their engagements.

The government’s position came following protests staged Thursday by aggrieved beneficiaries who berated government for ending the batches A and B without making provisions for permanent jobs for them.

Besides, the aggrieved enrollees while demanding permanent jobs, gave government option of paying each disengaged member the sum of N600,000 as a grant.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, reacting to the development, in a statement by the Deputy Director of Press, Rhoda Iliya, noted that the protested forgot the terms and conditions of the programme they enrolled for.

According to the statement, there was nowhere in the form where the government had assured that the enrollees would be provided permanent jobs or given the grant upon completion of their engagements.

The ministry told them that it was not a lending agency even as it disclosed that it was

“In contact with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies  (MDAs) such as CBN and NALDA, to see if the exited beneficiaries can key into their empowerment programmes.”

The statement read in full: “The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development observed on Thursday 23rd of July 2020,  a rally at the National Assembly which later proceeded to the Federal Secretariat Complex.

“The protesters claimed to be representatives of the Federal Government’s  N-Power beneficiaries that are about to be exited.

“They requested the Federal Government to employ all the 500,000 beneficiaries as well as pay them a grant of N600, 000 each.

“The Ministry wishes to state that this demand was not part of the agreement of engagement they signed with the Federal Government, which clearly stipulated that they will be exited after 2 years.

” Furthermore, the government cannot afford the N300 billion they were asking for a grant.

“It is noteworthy to state that the FGN has expended hundreds of billions to N-POWER beneficiaries during the last 4 years and is liaising with the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, which is responsible for the payment of their stipends, to ensure that any outstanding legitimate claim is settled.

“The FG cannot afford to continue to pay the exited N-POWER beneficiaries stipends indefinitely, more so that the process of engagement of new beneficiaries has already begun.

“The Ministry even though it is not a lending agency is in contact with other Ministry’s, Departments and Agencies  (MDAs) such as CBN and NALDA, to see if the exited beneficiaries can key into their empowerment programmes.”

Vanguard