Npower Batch C1 Extention News: Why FG should reconsider Batch C1 disengagement

The Npower Programme as part of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) is one of the ways for the actualization of President Mohammadu Buhari's vision of lifting 100 Million Nigerians out of Poverty before 2030.

In September 2021, about 510,000 Youths were engaged in the Npower Programme.

These number of youths have completed their one year duration in the Npower programme at the end of August, 2022, and stand the shock of being thrown back into the saturated job market.

In June/July 2020, 500,000 Batch A and B Npower beneficiaries were flushed into the job market after spending 2-4 years in the Npower Programme.

It will be very revealing to say that over 370,000 of the Batch A and B Npower beneficiaries are still strugling in the job market, and wallowing in utter poverty.

This can be clearly seen in the way they jostle and yarn for the NEXIT Loan Programme - an exit loan programme (N-EXIT) organised by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, for exited Npower beneficiaries.

In Nigeria, graduate unemployment is alarming. They constitute about 60% of the Nigeria labor supply market. They belong to the “active poor”; active because of the immense youthful energies at their disposal, and are poor because they are either jobless or have jobs that pay less than is adequate for decent living (Uwem and Ndem, 2012). Many of them live on less than $2 dollar a day. They are forced by the circumstances to work under poor, insecure and precarious conditions in the informal economy [Journal].

Graduates are intelligent and creative people with the ability to think critically (Gareth, 2011), and who compete for jobs in the domestic and global labor market places. Graduate unemployment imposes socio-economic costs; it is a waste of manpower resources, the investment in education and training is unused. This study defines graduate unemployment to include graduates of universities and polytechnics who are capable and willing to work but could not find a job or are discriminated against for lack of experience. In this category also includes graduates who have never worked, those who have lost their jobs and seeking re-entry into the workforce, and those who are underemployed or under disguised unemployment [Journal].

It is indisputable that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrests at least 10 youths aged 18-35, who are either graduates or undergraduates of tertiary institutions, every two weeks on internet related Crimes.

It is also indisputable that 98% of Yahoo Boys (Internet Fraudsters) in Nigeria, such as Hushpuppi and many others, are intelligent, ready-to-work but unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions; more than 60% Niger Delta Militants, more than 10% Boko Haram members and more than 70% Political thugs or ballot box snatchers are intelligent, ready-to-work but unemployed graduates.

A pool conducted among the Batch C1 Npower beneficiaries in their social groups indicated that over 70% were unable to save from their N30,000 monthly Stipend.

According to the beneficiaries, the high cost of living can barely sustain anyone in the current economy let alone having any for savings.

Just like the Batch A and B Npower beneficiaries whose only hope is the NEXIT Loan of N250,000 to N3million, which has not been disbursed to any of the beneficiaries even after the NEXIT Loan Training organised by the mininsty for 70,000 beneficiaries in the 1st Batch of the NEXIT Loan Training, the 510,000 Batch C1 Npower beneficiaries will still cue up for the NEXIT Loan Training, and pending when it would be disbursed.

The Federal Government should pragmatically handle the issue of unemployment in the country in a manner that permanently reduces the number in the job market, and not necessarily social appeasement which returns the beneficiaries to their early woes at the end of such benefits.