Npower, an integral part of the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP), will have uninterrupted stipend payments to beneficiaries despite the upcoming transition to a new administration.
The Management made the disclosure while addressing the Beneficiaries concerns on Wednesday, via it's verified Social Media Account.
Concerns were raised, particularly by Batch C2 beneficiaries, regarding the potential disruption of stipend payments during the remaining period of their one-year program as the country prepares for a change in administration.
since the launch of the Batch C2 Npower Programme on October 4, 2022, a significant number of the 490,000 beneficiaries are yet to receive their October, November, and December stipends. These outstanding payments are being processed as backlogs since February 2023.
As we enter the fifth month of 2023, the Batch C2 Npower Beneficiaries have not received any stipend payments for January, February, March, and April. This situation has caused considerable tension among beneficiaries, who have less than five months remaining in the one-year program while still awaiting payment for the first four months of 2023. The concerns are amplified by the impending change in government on May 29, 2023.
The Npower Management addressed the beneficiaries, assuring them that the change in government will not affect stipend payments, as they will continue as scheduled.
On Wednesday, the Management continued the payment of the backlogs for October, November, and December 2022, and restating plans to commence payment for January, February, and March 2023.
The Management of Npower expressed regret for the delay in stipend payments, attributing it primarily to technical issues that necessitated the validation of unpaid beneficiaries.
It is important to note that Npower will not be discontinued under the new government, and stipend payments will persist. The Buhari administration has successfully institutionalized Npower and other N-SIP components within the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.
The N-SIP Agency Bill, which facilitates the institutionalization of N-SIP, has completed all stages in the National Assembly and has been adopted into the Ministry this year. Consequently, N-SIP has become an agency within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, similar to NAFDAC in the Ministry of Health and UBE in the Ministry of Education.
This development signifies that the Npower Programme will continue to expand, attracting more beneficiaries year after year.
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