Npower Latest News: FG reaffirms commitment to engage Batch C Stream 2 Npower beneficiaries

The Federal Government has stated that it has concluded plans to engage additional 490,000 youths into the Batch C Stream 2 Npower Programme.

The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk who disclosed the plan in Kano on Thursday noted that the Batch C Stream 2 will boost the Federal Government's efforts in equipping the youths with life-long skills.

In her Speech, Muhammad Sambo, the Deputy Director, Finance and Account in the ministry who represented Farouk during the closing ceremony for over 3,000 youths from the North-West zone trained in software and hardware skills under the Batch C1, restated that President Mohammadu Buhari has approved the enlistment of 1 Million youths into the Batch C Npower Programme, adding that following the successful accommodation of 510,000 Batch C Stream 1 Npower beneficiaries, the Ministry has prepared grounds for the engagement of the 490,000 Batch Stream 2 Npower beneficiaries soon.

“It is no longer news that the President has approved that N-Power is expanded to accommodate one million beneficiaries. We have carefully implemented this where the Batch C1 accommodates 510,000 beneficiaries and the Batch C2 will commence soon. This is to enlist more Nigerian youths into the programme.

“It is a well-known fact that N-Power programme is a critical part of the National Social Investment Programmes domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) and designed to achieve the national objectives of poverty reduction and job creation,” she said.

In a recent development, the Batch C Stream 1 Npower beneficiaries have condemned the delay in the payment of their October and November Stipends as they embark on the Yuletide in "owuness" (empty pockets).

According to the Npower Beneficiaries, since the commencement of the Batch C Stream 1 Npower Programme in Septemeber, they have only recieved one month Stipend, being the payment for the month of September, 2021.

The Npower beneficiaries called on the Federal Government to solve permanently the continuous delay in the Payment of the beneficiaries, adding that the irregularities in payment is a big disuading factor which would debilitate the youths in future participation in the Npower Programme.