The federal government says it has commenced the payment of
outstanding allowances to 9,066 volunteers who participated in batches A and B
of the 2016 and 2018 N-Power programmes.
Bashir Alkali, permanent secretary, ministry of humanitarian
affairs, disaster management and social development, disclosed this in a
statement on Friday.
Established in 2016, the N-Power scheme is targeted at unemployed
graduates who are engaged by the government to receive N30, 000 monthly
stipends.
Over 200,000 graduates participated at the inception of the
programme.
According to NAN, Alkali said the accounts of 14,021
volunteers were flagged in March 2020 by the federal government payment system,
the government integrated financial management information system (GIFMIS), for
various reasons.
He listed the reasons to include beneficiaries holding
multiple bank accounts and receiving other payments such as salaries and
allowances from federal government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs)
on permanent employment.
Alkali explained that these acts violated regulations
guiding the N-Power volunteer programme and could amount to gross misconduct
and corruption.
He said the ministry carried out a detailed investigation in
collaboration with relevant government MDAs, clearing accounts of 9,066
volunteers for final payment.
“Based on this reality, the five months allowance arrears of
these volunteers, totalling N150,000 each is currently being paid. They have
started receiving credit alerts today,” Alkali said.
“The allowances of the remaining 4,955 is withheld pending
the conclusion of further investigation. Where clear violations of the
agreements are established, such violators will be subjected to appropriate
sanctions as stipulated by the law.
“Contrary to some insinuations in the public domain, this
process is a clear demonstration of the ministry’s resolve to address this
unfortunate incidence in a transparent manner for accountability and to
forestall its future occurrence.
“As it has
consistently maintained, the investigation carried out by the ministry is in
the best interest of the country and has the major goal of institutionalising
the National Social Investment Programme.”
He said the essence of the investigation was to ensure the
programme’s efficient management in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s
resolve to ensure transparency and accountability in its implementation at all
times.
“The ministry regrets the delays experienced in concluding
this process, but assures the public that transparency and accountability
cannot be compromised in all its activities,” he added.
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