Thousands of NPOWER volunteers are currently lamenting unpaid stipends for the past 2 months, NigerianEye.com recalls that the NPOWER program, which is part of the National Social Intervention Programme (NSIP) hitherto under Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo’s watch was moved to a new ministry, The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development on the 1st of October, 2019

The innovative social programme in which government budgets N500 billion yearly had been under the office of the Vice President since it was launched in 2016 with over 500,000 beneficiaries, mostly Nigerian graduates.

However the movement of the NPOWER program from the office of the Vice President to a newly created ministry has resulted into non-payment of October and November stipends which has generated lots of angry reactions from the participants. They have lamented that they no longer enjoy the benefits of the scheme since it was moved away from the office of the Vice President, and threatened to go on strike.

Speaking with NigerianEye.com, a beneficiary who didn't want his name in print, said the payment was very smooth and commendable when it was under the office of the Vice President, but things have gone sour now. He also lamented that many of them could not voice out because of fear of being disengaged after they did not receive October stipends, but they can't take it anymore.

He said
"It is extremely inhuman and act of wickedness for the said Ministry now in charge of Npwer to treat 500,000 Nigerian Npower graduates like a kid. The question I ask myself is that “Removing Npower from the office of the Vice President , Is it a wrong move?” believe it or not, when the office of the Vice President was in charge of Npower , even before getting up to this, they would have released official statement telling volunteers the reason for the delay payment and afterwards , apologize. That is the office that respect the graduates and as such treat us as one.

For me, even the support group are kept in the dark and that is the reason up till now, no one has been able to give us concrete reason for the delay of the stipends. With due respect to the Honourable Minister whom I believe is a mother to all especially being a woman, I don’t expect this kind of ill treatment from her to the volunteers. I expect before now, she would have officially informed beneficiaries the real reason for the delay through her social media page, but instead, she kept mute and decided not to reply to any question posed to her by Npower volunteers through her social media page. This is wrong and unacceptable because they aren’t doing us a favour, it is our right and we deserve to be paid work done"

He continued,.

"We therefore call on the Hon. Minister to come out and tell us what is actually happening. If the program will continue or they are planning to scrap it, we deserve to know the reality on ground.

When exactly are they going to pay us??

Any other update aside from the one from the Hon minister is not acceptable and will never be taken as reliable information.

Volunteers can no longer cope having to transport themselves to their place of primary assignment.

We charged all volunteers starting from Monday, 2nd December to stay at home, no pay, no work"

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management &Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq could not be reached for comments as at the time of this report.

SOURCE - http://www.nigerianeye.com/2019/11/npower-volunteers-lament-unpaid.html

Any Npower beneficiary here received October, November payment?

I guess not, this is sad!

A federal govt programme aimed at employing unemployed graduates.

Transferring the scheme to The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development was a big mistake

Madam Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs & Social Development

No payment for NPOWER since October, no official statement on the matter, nothing!!!!!!! people are hungry, we are suffering.

Would you allow your children go through that?

I always said that this new ministry was unnecessary.

Why did you like to lie op, they are only owing them one month which is October and November never Ends.

Election don finish na.
what do u expect? Lol.....

Where is the lie?

They are normally paid around this time every month.

November ends tomorrow, incase you are sleeping on a calender.

They didn't pay October, they were completely silent about it. what is the guarantee that November will be paid?

Chai NIGERIA!!!!

Indispensable85:
Election don finish na.
what do u expect? Lol.....

Part of the ploy to scrap the scheme. We know this government's modus operandi.

LagosGunner:
Chai NIGERIA!!!!

That's Nigeria for you.

APC, new broom sweeps dirty!

Ministry of disaster don cause disaster for npower.


If you all must know, the money is being fixed by the cabal, something they couldn't do while it was still under PYO

Npower has overstayed it's usefulness (systematic vote buying) election is over

MMM comes to mind

You call a scheme that was created to employ over 500,000 jobless youths vote buying?

The current situation is just sad, the intention at the beginning was good.

The switch of the program from the VP's office to this newly created ministry is a big part of the problem in my opinion.

zuchyblink:
Npower has overstayed it's usefulness (systematic vote buying) election is over

Exactly my point, it wouldn't happen when it was under Osinbajo

icon007:
APC, new broom sweeps dirty!

Ministry of disaster don cause disaster for npower.


If you all must know, the money is being fixed by the cabal, something they couldn't do while it was still under PYO

cute9ja:
You call a scheme that was created to employ over 500,000 jobless youths vote buying?

The current situation is just sad, the intention at the beginning was good.

The switch of the program from the VP's office to this newly created ministry is a big part of the problem in my opinion.

you are ignorant of the way politics is played in Nigeria.

I hope the Ministry fixes the bottleneck so the volunteers can be paid their allowance. But why the fuss we are only talking about just one month here. these guys will be paid and that's certain.

It's a new ministry. You all should give them time to settle and find a permanent way to attend to all your needs in time.

maybanks:
I hope the Ministry fixes the bottleneck so the volunteers can be paid their allowance. But why the fuss we are only talking about just one month here. these guys will be paid and that's certain.

It's 2 months, not 1

It's now that Nigerians know the impact of Vice President Osinbajo. Like the quote "You don't know the value of what you've got until you lose it"

Dont mind him!

Akious2k2:

It's 2 months, not 1

TeeMoney99:
It's a new ministry. You all should give them time to settle and find a permanent way to attend to all your needs in time.

It's easy to say this because you are not part of it.

They have not been paid for 2 months, and you are asking for time?

Put yourselves in their shoes, December starts tomorrow, many of them have bills to pay.

Worse still, no official statement has been put out on the issue, not a single one.

Even if they don't pay yet, there should be communication, the over 500,000 undergraduates who are participants should be treated with respect, SIMPLE!

Mods: davide470 uboma lalasticlala

Kindly move to front page

cute9ja:


It's easy to say this because you are not part of it.

They have not been paid for 2 months, and you are asking for time?

Put yourselves in their shoes, December starts tomorrow, many of them have bills to pay.

Worse still, no official statement has been put out on the issue, not a single one.

Even if they don't pay yet, there should be communication, the over 500,000 undergraduates who are participants should be treated with respect, SIMPLE!

Graduates specifically

the cabals are dull walai

There is nothing stopping us from embarking on the strike action which is scheduled to start on Monday 2nd December 2019. Enough of this deceit. Until we see alert rolling in, that strike action will go on as planned.


If you feel you aren't supporting this move, you can go ahead and continue with work at your place of primary assignment ...�

I'm in full support, no work, no pay.
SIMPLE

AutosBay:
There is nothing stopping us from embarking on the strike action which is scheduled to start on Monday 2nd December 2019. Enough of this deceit. Until we see alert rolling in, that strike action will go on as planned.


If you feel you aren't supporting this move, you can go ahead and continue with work at your place of primary assignment ...�