N-power: Exited Beneficiaries unrelenting, says 24th March Mega Protest, other measures all the way

The Batch A and B beneficiaries of the Federal Government N-power Programme after many protests say "Enough is Enough" as they devise other strategies to let their cries out to the world following the demeaning silence of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in coming to their aid.

According to the N-power Beneficiaries, the Ministry had in June and July, 2020 disengaged them from the lifeline job creation programme amidst COVID-19 Pandemic without considering the impact the volunteers have made in the Educational, Health and Agricultural sectors where they were posted to work on a Monthly stipend of N30,000 (about $78).

The N-power Beneficiaries furthered that several promises which include not letting the 500,000 youths back to street earlier before 2019 election, unpaid backlogs of stipends, denial of Batch B working Device, among others had prompted the initial protests.

The aggrieved beneficiaries who have been terribly downcast by the economic downtime necessitated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and uncertainty of their future in their own country added that their previous protests resulted in the creation of the NEXIT Plan - a collaborative effort of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry and the CBN initiated in November, 2020 but has been unrealistic till date.

Enumerating avoidable occurrences which have bedevilled the NEXIT Plan, the beneficiaries noted that the NEXIT Registration portal https://nexit-fmhds.cbn.gov.ng has been inefficient, denying thousands of the beneficiaries access to the portal, and which has remained unresolved till date - a situation the beneficiaries dubbed "Delay Tactics" to quell their agitation for a better future.

N-power Youth Congress and N-Power REPs made demands

The beneficiaries of the N-power Programme stated that their two prominent National Bodies, the N-power Youth Congress and the 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives had made several demands, calling on the Federal Government to clarify on the delay and implementation of the NEXIT Plan.

The N-power Youth Congress while declaring 14th February, 2021 Ultimatum demanded that:

1. N-power Beneficiaries selected for permanent jobs be confirmed with appointment letters.

2. Those selected for grant/Loan be given at least 1 million naira each.

3. Those considered for loan be treated fairly. That is,

* 2 years moratorium

* 3% interest rate per annum

* Reasonable amount enough for the respective purposes be given.

4. Those still finding it difficult to register the Nexit Portal should be given attention to that effect.

The 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives had requested that:

1. They (the 36 States and FCT N-Power Representatives) should be brought and shown the template of the purported Transition plan.

2. The Transition Plan ( whether absorption into Government agencies or meaningful grants/Loan for entrepreneurship) must be ready and clearly defined.

3. Payments of over 14, 000 Unpaid Volunteers from the Month of March to July, 2020 must begin immediately as all documents needed for this have been supplied by the volunteers 2 months ago.

4. Payments of Backlogs to Volunteers being owed in different months must be paid immediately.

5. All Batch B devices and some batch A devices must be delivered immediately as this forms part of the agreement of engagement adding that nothing short of the above request will be accepted.

Long Silence Trigger call for Protest:

The N-power Beneficiaries again condemning what they described as demeaning silence and inhuman treatments have declared a National Protest on Wednesday 24th March, 2021, stating that since their plight have remained a playground of political promises, they would be left with no option than to continue on National Protests to let the world know what they have been through and what they are going through as citizens of Nigeria who have dedicated their years in a special service to the Nation.

Protesting Beneficiaries sort for other measures

As resolute as they have remained, the protesting beneficiaries had concluded plans to make their voices heard by Nigerians and International communities using all available channels, but non-violent.

Among the unrelenting efforts is the utilization of AVAAS.org Community Pertition Platform https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions among other plans which they said preferably undisclosed.