Npower Batch C: NASIMS commences October Payment as FG spends N360 Billion yearly on empowerment of Graduates, Non Graduates

 

The National Social Investment Management System (NASIMS) has initiated process for the payment of October Stipend to the beneficiaries of the Batch C Stream 1 Npower Programme.

NASIMS disclosed this in a Statement on Thursday while addressing the incessant delay in the payment of the Npower beneficiaries which has generated mixed reactions among the beneficiaries. 

"Dear Npower Batch C1 Beneficiaries, outstanding payment process intiated. We are pleased to inform you that the outstanding payment process for the month of October has been intiated. While you await for your Account to be credited, we sincerely apologise for all the inconveniences the payment delay may have caused you and appreciate your patience and faith kept so far on us", NASIMS stated.

Many beneficiaries of the Batch C Stream 1 Npower Programme who recently visited their profiles at www.nasims.gov.ng confirmed that the October payment has been initiated as "Pending", awaiting their Banks to credit their verified Bank Account Numbers with their October Stipends.

NASIMS however did not disclosed what may have caused the continuous delay in the payment of the Npower Stipends even as many speculate there may be intention to scrap the programme.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk, in Abuja on 22nd Dec., 2021 while delivering a farewell message at the end of the 6 weeks N-Knowledge training component of the N-Power Programme for Batch C1, held across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country, disclosed that the President Mohammadu Buhari led administration spends about N360 Billion yearly on the empowerment of Graduates and Non-Graduates under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).

The Minister reiterated her resolve towards adequate funding of various schemes under the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs), including N-Power programmes aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment rate across the country.

However, a Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 General Election, Atiku Abubakar has threatened to scrap the Npower Programme if given a chance.

Atiku described the programme as a wantom wastage of national resources, arguing that the huge amount of money spent on the programme could either be channelled into job creation.

His statement is not far from the current reality as the Batch A and B beneficiaries of the Programme returned to the job market, even after spending over two years in the programme, without gainful employment.