Npower Batch C2: Why Npower beneficiaries should know their State Focal Persons

The N-power Programme, just like other components of the National Social Investment Programmes, is a synergy between the Federal Government, State and Local Governments since its launch in 2016.

In every State, an individual is appointed by the State Governor to oversee the implementation of the National Social Investment Programme as a State N-SIP Focal Person.

The State Focal Persons are in-charge of the N-SIP Offices across the States of the Federation and are charged with the following responsibilities among others:

1. Information Dissemination: The Focal Person recieves direct communication "for each State" from Abuja and disseminate accordingly using appropriate channels.

2: Complaint Resolution: Issues of all N-power Beneficiary are directed to the State Focal Persons for prompt Resolution and communicated accordingly to the Center using specific medium. They recieve complaints from N-power Beneficiaries in all issues including payment issues.

3: Data Management: The Office of the State Focal Person is the State database for all N-power Beneficiaries in any State. They are in possession of all identities of all the N-power Beneficiaries per given State. In this way, they can easily identify a valid N-power Beneficiary for any issues resolution.

It is also a databank that services all the State Ministries involved in the N-power Programmes. The State Ministries include the State Ministry of Education, State Ministry of Health, State Ministry of Agriculture, etc.

4: Npower Cordination: Asides the Independent Monitors who are more like Federal Syndicates, the State Focal Persons have the overall responsibility of coordinating the N-power Programme in each State, in addition to other components of the National Social Investment Programme.

The Independent Monitors cannot work in a State without notifying the State Focal Persons.

To achieve the objective of the N-power Cordination across each Local Government in any State, the Focal Persons nominate credible individuals who checkmate the N-power Beneficiaries in the Local Government as State and Local Government Reps. They report accordingly to the Focal Persons. These individuals can be participating N-power Beneficiaries.

5: Training/Special Assignment Cordination: The N-power Beneficiaries are trained periodically. In the past, N-power Beneficiaries recieved digital Training from Google on Digital Marketing, etc. Such Trainings are coordinated by the State Focal Persons.

Also, services of some N-power Beneficiaries can be requested, for certain Federal Assignment. It is the duty of the Focal Persons to nominate credible and dedicated N-power Beneficiaries to participate in such assignments.

For Instance in 2017, some N-power Beneficiaries were nominated for GEEP Loan (MarketMoni/Farmermoni) Registration and they were paid for the special assignment.

Also, in 2018, some Batch A N-power Beneficiaries were selected for data transformission of the Physical Verification details of the N-power Batch B applicants, prio to their engagement. It was a paid service.

These among others not disclosed here, are the duties of State Focal Persons as regards the implementation of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) including N-power, Home Grown School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise and Empower Programme loan Scheme (GEEP Loan), in all the States and Local Governments of the Federation.