Eventhough hope is the confidence of a common man, when false hope becomes a political antics to douse tension, it further weakens the mind and body into depression.
This is an awakening not to instigate but to invigorate the spirit of 'survival', 'upwardness', 'indomitability' and above all, being able to redirect one's self away from the death of N-power Batch A and B with facts other than false hope.
There has been several promises to N-power Beneficiaries since 2019, a lot which have remained unfulfilled till date, and a lot which are not far from the common Nigerian phrase 'Political promises'. It is terrible to know but it is more terrible not to know and be weakened with antics of false hope and lies.
The disengagement of the N-power Beneficiaries came as a big shock in June because there was no pre-notification hence took thousands of the beneficiaries unawares. But that's not a consideration than a widely paraded fact that about 109,000 N-power Beneficiaries have established monumental businesses through their savings from a monthly Stipend of N30,000, and are now employers of labour.
I ran into an argument with a government official who buttressed unequivocally, the government view of a project achievement or accomplishment. "When one is given a project and one is able to achieve 20% at a first attempt, that signifies trust and deserves to be given another chance for 40% achievement until it reaches 80-97% mark", he asserted without mincing words. I quickly did a mathematical calculation and realised that going by that assertion, 109,000 of 500,000 is above 21%. It was dawn on me the launch and support for N-power Batch C Program as Batch A and B have already been recorded a success.
The exited N-power beneficiaries in one of their request from the Federal Government had demanded for exit package of N500Billion to enable them proceed in entrepreneurial endeavours but going by the budget proposal for all the components of the National Social Investment Program in 2021 including N-power, National Home Grown School Feeding (NHGSF), Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP), about N400Billion (N350 billion recurrent and N50 billion capital expenditure) was proposed to the National Assembly, out of which N142.3Billion (40.5% of recurrent expenditure) was proposed for feeding and dwarming of school children, and N2.7 billion for feeding utensils, devices for capturing and aprons for cooks, under the National Home Grown School Feeding Program.
Check:NSIP: FG to feed, deworm School Children with N142.3Billion, N2.7Billion on Utensils
Again, on the 2nd of November, 2020, there was a wide report that 428 Ministries, Departments and Agencies could be unable to pay salaries as they have exhausted their 2020 Personnel cost.
Check:https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/11/428-federal-ministries-depts-agencies-cant-pay-salaries/
Does this speak hope for the exited N-power Beneficiaries to have an exit package in 2020? What do you have to say about sudden increase in Petrol Price?
Obviously you know no Federal Ministry, Department or Agency can engage/absorb 500,000 N-power Beneficiaries for permanent employment, not even all the Federal MDAs as the overal Federal Civil Service Population is not up to such number.
Moreover, there has been several Government Entrepreneurial Programs which have been ongoing including the Survival Funds, the Nigeria Youth Investment Program, the COVID-19 Targetted Credit Facilty Loan, the Agri-Business/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS Loan), National Young Farmers Program, Agricoop Formation, Anchor Borrower's Program (ABP), etc and none has been apportioned or initiated with the favourable consideration of the exited N-power Beneficiaries at heart, rather, they were availed the opportunity of competing with other Nigerians to benefit from the Programs.
Earlier before the last protest by the exited N-power Beneficiaries, there was a report from a confidential source about the disinclination of the government to effect the demands of the N-power Beneficiaries and that's not far from the turnout of the last protest.
As stated earlier, this is not an attempt to instigate or disconcert but to awaken the spirit of futuristic thinking away from political gimmicks or false hope which has bedevilled the strength of many of the exited N-power Beneficiaries.
Should something positive come up for the exited N-power Beneficiaries, praises be to God!
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