SPECIAL REPORT: 500,000 N-Power beneficiaries ready to decamp to PDP

A Facebook user, Kayode Jonathan has made a satirical remarks on his wall that 500,000 N-Power beneficiaries who would be laid off by the federal government in few weeks time, are now ready to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His comments elicited response from few of his Facebook friends who also supported the idea.

“We are very ready to decamp if permanency is not granted to us,” responded Abraham Solomon, a Facebook user.

Jonathan’s post stem from the growing emotional stress and frustration many beneficiaries of the scheme have been subjected too since the announcement by the federal government to disengage 500,000 beneficiaries of the scheme.

Daily Correspondents recall that the Nigerian Government on Friday announced that it will commence the transitioning of beneficiaries from Batches A and B into government entrepreneurship schemes, paving the way for the enrollment of a new batch of N-Power beneficiaries.

Spokesperson to the humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development ministry, Rhoda Iliya made the disclosure in a statement to newsmen.

“We have commenced the transitioning of beneficiaries from Batches A and B into government entrepreneurship schemes and engaging private sector bodies to absorb some of the beneficiaries after the completion of psychometric assessment to determine competency and placement into various opportunities,” Iliya said.

“The Federal government is committed to the continuation and expansion and as such will now begin enrolment and onboarding of a new Batch of beneficiaries.”

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) with the mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty through capacity building, investment, and direct support.

The programme has enrolled 500,000 beneficiaries so far with 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016 and 300,000 from Batch B which kicked off in August 2018 across the key industries targeted by the programme – agriculture, health, education, and tax.

Iliya disclosed that Batch A will exit June 30, 2020, while Batch B will exit the programme on July 31, 2020.

The spokesman,however, noted that past beneficiaries will not be eligible to participate in the application process for the new scheme.

Daily Correspondents has decided to dig deep into the social media to search for people’s reaction to the planned disengagement.

While some Nigerians are full of praises to the Buhari administration for initiating the scheme in the first place, others felt the decision by the federal government to disengage 500,000 beneficiaries of the scheme will worsen the security situation of the country, with the tendency of more people going into criminality.

Some Nigerians have also alleged being used and dumped by politicians, while some also made some hilarious comments about the scheme.

Isaac Awotidoye Comrade wrote: “By and large, I really appreciate and giving a credit to the PMB led government for introduce this scheme in first instance, to employ all the graduates into this N-power program, at least for a period of two years this students had been receiving something from the FG and this had reduced crimes in the country so far, but it would have been better if the FG could have secured a permanent jobs for this beneficiaries of the N-Power now!”

Yawale Ahmed wrote: “If i am in the position to advise the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INSTEAD OF DISENGAGING THOSE GRADUATE, THE NEW PROGRAM FOR ONE THOUSAND YOUTHS 1,000 FROM EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM THE PRESIDENT SPEACH ON 12JUNE DEMOCRACY SPEECH, GOVERNMENT SHOULD PLEASE CONSIDER IT AND ENGAGE THEM AS NPORWER BATCH C. I THINK THIS WILL REDUCE THE RATE OF INSECURITY IN THE COUNTRY.”

James Livinstone wrote: “They only used the npower volunteers for elections purposes. They will not enrol any new beneficiaries. Npower is dead.”

Abdulrahman A. Isah: “Thank you for showing your true colors of your incompetence government has nothing but non – gradient”

Mathias Ejeh: “Life will always go On regardless of whatever they do. But the government must be aware of this rampant effect of insecurity and high rate of unemployment in Nigeria so as to factor that in their decisions. The more the unengaged hands are pushed to the streets,the more crime grows; take it or leave it.”

Felix Okpono Odezi wrote: “Use and dump, example of a nigerian toilet tissue paper.”

Bryan Kingsley Eze: “The biggest fraud in government’s policies.”

Durotimi John: “80% of the outgoing will be reengaged because Nigeria doesn’t have data bank.”

Chinonyerem Young Vincent: “Sadiya farouq, pay N-Power tech beneficiaries their three months stipend.”