N-Power volunteers threaten nationwide protests over non-payment of stipends

  • Some N-Power beneficiaries have threatened to embark on a nationwide protest over non-payment of stipends

  • The minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Sadiya Farouq, had said that the programme would end by December

  • But the volunteers accused the minister of sabotaging President Buhari’s effort to alleviate poverty in Nigeria.

Some N-Power volunteers across the country are reportedly threatening to embark on peaceful demonstrations and latter go on strike if their January allowances are not paid now. Legit.ng’s regional reporter in Osun state, Ibrahim Akinola, who spoke with some of the volunteers, reports that they alleged that the programme has become a nightmare since the Social Investment Programme (SIP) was moved from the office of the vice president to the ministry of humanitarian affairs and disaster management.

According to the report, they accused the minister, Sadiya Farouq, of sabotaging the federal government efforts of poverty alleviation through various programmes under the SIP.

Speaking with Legit.ng, a beneficiary of the scheme, Tolani from Osun state, asked the minister to resign over the failure of her ministry to pay the stipends of the volunteers as and when due.

He said: “All these problems surfaced immediately the SIP was transferred to her ministry from the office of the vice president. Many of our colleagues have been forcefully and unjustly exited or put on hold with more than eleven months of unpaid stipends. “The fates of these victims are just hanging in balance with no way out insight. Yet, all she could come with was to threaten us that Npower would be scraped before December. We call on the President himself to address these issues before we go berserk.” Another beneficiary from Lagos state, who was simply identified as Folashade while condemning the terrible conditions of SIP under the headship of Farouq, alleged that the minister was on a well-orchestrated mission of sabotaging the good and commendable plans of the president under SIP.

“This is a programme that was designed perfectly and working efficiently before she came on board. Why the sudden epilleptism? It is more honourable for her to just resign or be booted out,” she submitted. A volunteer from Gombe state, Abdullahi, while intimating Legit.ng about the scheduled nationwide protests said, “all the beneficiaries are now under a body known as the national association of N-power volunteers. We are mobilising our members across the country. We will go on peaceful nationwide protests which will commence very soon if our issues are not promptly addressed.” Asked why they had never been successful in their previous protests, he said, “the truth is that before we would embark on any action, the government has always been quick in addressing the said issue. It seems they only wake up to the task when they are faced with threats.

“Let me tell you categorically, we are more organised now than ever before. We are now under an umbrella body. We have scheduled the protests in a very organised manner across all the six geopolitical zones in the country. We will shake the whole nation. Just watch out.” A young beneficiary from FCT who preferred not to have his name in print said, “this government is actually a hoax and an unbridled ruse. Some of us that were foolishly deceived initially have come to a saddening reality. “Thousands of us have been callously exited and put on hold with many months of allowances unpaid. In fact, they just put some people on hold today as I speak. They have refused to pay those enrolled their monthly allowances as an when due. The school feeding programme under the SIP has been indefinitely suspended in many states. “Why? We are no more in the elections season. Where is trader Moni? What has become of market Moni? They have all evaporated into the thin air. What fate awaits all the programs under the SIP including the ailing N-power?

“All will be suspended and scraped at the end just like their ancestors such as Sure-P and co.

I only appeal to the Nigerian youths to work on self-development, forget about the country and it’s leaders and move on. To the victims of the unlawful exit and on hold, go and learn a life-sustaining skill, forget about the imaginary reinstatement that will never come, stop the hallucination, the country doesn’t care for you.”

Source: legit.ng

Email: elora.akpotosevbe@yahoo.com