JUST IN: FG to sack 500,000 N-Power beneficiaries

The Federal Government has announced the imminent sack of about 500,000 persons engaged in Nigeria’s Social Investment Programme (N-Power).

Salisu Na’inna Danbatta, Media Aide to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, made this known to The Guardian on Monday.

He said the beneficiaries were supposed to spend 24 months on the programme, but Batch A beneficiaries have spent over 40 months.

“Both Batches will soon be terminated according to the (press) release for the reasons given in the (press) release,” he said.

Danbatta noted that the programme has enrolled 500,000 beneficiaries thus far – 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018.

He added that the scheme has contributed to the administration’s vision of lifting 100 million people out of poverty by creating opportunities to enhance the productivity of the Nigerian youth.

Danbatta, who also quoted a statement released by the ministry’s spokesperson, Rhoda Iliya, said the current beneficiaries have overstayed in the programme “thereby denying other Nigerians an opportunity to access the programme and gain skills for entrepreneurship and employment.”