Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu says plans are underway to rejig the N-Power scheme to accommodate more people and ensure prompt payment of beneficiaries’ stipends.

Edu disclosed this in a statement on Sunday by her Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr Rasheed Zubair, in Abuja.

The statement reported the Minister as saying that the challenges faced by N-Power beneficiaries in terms of delay in payment of their stipends would soon be addressed.

“We will change the modalities so that people will get their delayed stipends, include more people, and relaunch it with a renewed hope concept,” she said.

She also said, the ministry planned to establish humanitarian hubs across the 774 local government areas in the country, adding that would be a long-term goal towards eradicating poverty in Nigeria.

She explained that the hubs would accommodate homegrown commodities, which would be sold at cheaper rates to Nigerians.

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The statement also said the ministry would send its staff to all the local government areas to get feedback in addition to engaging in digital tracking of the palliatives.

According to the statement, the digital tracking of the palliatives is aimed at determining the time, location, household, and individuals they are delivered to.

”This is to ensure transparent and effective disbursement of palliatives; we also plan to bring on board independent monitors to ensure the relief materials reach those in need.

“Under my watch, the ministry will address poverty through Job creation, and cash transfer to poor Nigerians.

”We will ensure engagement with the Nutrition Department, the establishment of Micro Small, and Medium Enterprise and provision of stimulus to their Business”.

She assured Nigerians of her commitment to curtail the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria through a prompt response.

“Nigerians should be rest assured that all existing empowerment schemes within the National Investment Programme will be rejigged to cover more people effectively.

Edu assured citizens of President Bola Tinubu’s huge economic interventions to meet their short and long-term needs.

“Mr. President has a huge economic plan for Nigeria; some with short-term goals while some with long-term goals and Nigerians should please trust the process” (NAN)

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TECHDIGEST – The federal government of Nigeria has flagged-off the onboarding of 510,000 N-Power beneficiaries in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

While onboarding Stream 1 of N-Power Batch C on Monday at the NAF Conference Centre Abuja, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, congratulated the successful beneficiaries who made the final selection stage and charged them to make optimum use of the rare opportunity given to them.

Umar Farouq noted that changes have been made in the selection process of N-Power beneficiaries while pledging the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that the strategic objectives of all the National Social Investment Programmes are achieved.

“Some innovations have been introduced into the N-Power selection and payment processes such as the creation of the National Social Investment Management Systems (NASIMS), partnership with key MDAs including the NYSC, the UBEC, the NPHCDA, the NOA to mention but a few, with which the Ministry is leveraging to effectively implement its interventions.

“To ensure that the challenges of communication are addressed, regarding limitation of information flow and internet access across the country, the Ministry has provided access to information via a USSD code. The USSD short code *45665# will provide the required connectivity and technical support for the provision of information services to our beneficiaries”.

The minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his administration’s unwavering efforts in eradicating poverty in the country and sustaining the National Social Investment Programnes. She also appreciated the National Assembly members for appropriating funds to execute the N-power programme and for their oversight in ensuring that the programmes were implemented as approved.

Minister Umar Farouq also presented engagement letters to some of the successful beneficiaries.

The Minister of State, Industry, Trade and Investment Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria Edward Kallon, Former Rivers state Governor and the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass, Bayelsa State Alfred Diette Spiff and other dignitaries were among those who gave goodwill messages at the flag off.

Popular music artist D’bang also entertained the dignitaries at the event.

According to the Minister’s SA (Media), Nneka Ikem Anibeze, the Batch C is divided into 2 streams. Stream C1 comprises 510,000 beneficiaries while stream C2 has 490,000 beneficiaries.

Under the Batch C1, a total of 450,000 have been selected to benefit under the graduate component and 60,000 non-graduate beneficiaries.

The N-Power programme which specializes in Agriculture, Health, Teaching, ICT, Entrepreneurship and Building, deploys an online application and selection strategy to ensure fairness, transparency and credibility in the recruitment process.

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TECH DIGEST – The federal government says 550,000 applicants have been selected for the final stage of the N-Power Batch C programme.

Sadiya Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development, made this known at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

The N-power programme is a scheme established by Muhammadu Buhari on June 8, 2016, to address the issues of youth unemployment and help increase social development.

In March, Farouq inaugurated the national social investment management systems (NASIMS) portal for Batch C applicants.

She had explained that the applicants were requested to update their personal information and, thereafter, take an online test via the NASIMS Portal.

Speaking at the press briefing, the minister said the successful candidates are being contacted via email addresses, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“By the third week of May 2021, over 1.8 million Nigerians successfully updated their records and took the compulsory online test,” she said.

“Further screening was undertaken and a short-list of 550,000 applicants qualified for the final selection to engage 500,000 nationwide to serve as the first stream of the N-Power Batch C programme.

“This is the Batch C 1. The second batch of another 500,000 will subsequently be made in line with Mr President’s directive to engage 1,000,000 beneficiaries under Batch C.

“The 550,000 short-listed applicants are being individually contacted via their e-mail addresses provided and are first advised to check and then immediately log-on to the NASIMS self-service portal and enrol their biometric data to qualify for final selection.”

Meanwhile, Farouq said a total of 9,196,823 pupils from classes one to three in public primary schools would receive one meal daily in all 54,619 schools across under the national home-grown school feeding programme.

“The outcomes of this programme include increase in school enrolment, improved nutrition for benefiting pupils, boosting of local economies and facilitating job creation through the activities of 103,028 cooks, 100,000 small holder farmers and numerous aggregators and commodity transporters engaged nationwide,” she said.

The minister explained that the programme is being expanded to accommodate an additional five million children in line with the president’s directives.

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TECH DIGEST – The Federal Government says it will expand the N-Power programme from the present 500,000 beneficiaries to one million.

President Muhammadu Buhari said this in a message to commemorate the 2021 Workers’ Day celebration on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2021 Workers’ Day theme is ”COVID-19, Social and Economic Crises: Challenges for Decent Work, Social Protection and Peoples Welfare”.

Buhari said that the expansion of the N-Power programme would ensure job creation and poverty alleviation through a programme such as Safety Net Programmes to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

”We also have put in place some socio-economic policies, which also include Conditional Cash Transfer for the vulnerable poor from 2.6 million households (13 million persons) to 7.6 million households (about 32 million persons).

”COVID-19 Rapid Response Register (RRR) for urban Poor, which now has 4.8 million households (20 million persons) which also include urban poor/working class.

”Also, through the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, there is the Entrepreneur Support Programme and, this even includes the vulnerable workers amongst the urban poor.

”We also have the Artisan Support Fund, Payroll Support Fund for small scale businesses, Business Formalisation aimed at encouraging micro, small and medium enterprises by offering free registration for upcoming businesses by the Corporate Affairs Commission.

”There is also Guaranteed Off-take Stimulus Scheme for Small Medium Enterprises for producers of hygienic products and packaged food to encourage entrepreneurship and industries, “he said.

He, however, added that the National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) for young entrepreneurs had N75 billion for three years, all aimed at support for the labour force.

He also noted that in securing decent jobs, the government was inadvertently promoting social protection and people’s welfare.

”We also know that social protection gives you peace of mind and hope for a better future.

“It also ensures access to health care and income security for all and provides for you and your family when sick, unemployed, injured, pregnant or too old to work,” he said.

He noted that a happy workforce could be created by employers incorporating the decent work agenda in job creation and retention in their workplace guiding policies.

”As we all know, decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives.

”It involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration.

”It also ensures freedom for people to express their concerns, organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men,” he said.

He noted that decent jobs in our workplaces in a nutshell, therefore, reflect all the goodness in labour administration.

Buhari, therefore, said fair labour practices must be the norm in the world of work.

”So, the theme for the May Day celebration is relevant and also reflects practical and contemporary issues of our society and not just in Nigeria but globally,” he said.(NAN)

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TECH DIGEST – The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has opened a Portal to enable exited N-Power beneficiaries to apply for Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Empowerment Options

Jointly developed by the Ministry in collaboration with the CBN, the Portal will enable exited N-Power Beneficiaries to log on and apply for the various economic, empowerment and entrepreneurship options provided by the CBN.

In a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Bashir Nura Alkali,  the Minister Sadiya Umar Farouq advised interested exited beneficiaries of N- Power to log on to the portal and provide the required additional information for possible placements into the various CBN intervention options.

The Minister emphasized that the NEXIT Portal will determine the suitability of the beneficiaries for the CBN affiliated funding programs.

“The NEXIT portal is to determine the suitability of the beneficiaries for the CBN affiliated programs and is dependent on meeting the criteria and conditions set by the CBN for the said programs”.

She noted that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs remained committed to the vision of Mr President to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years.

The Minister pledged the Ministry’s willingness to collaborate with relevant agencies of government and other stakeholders towards the realization of that vision and wished the exited beneficiaries well in their future endeavours.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is very proud of the milestones you have achieved during your period of service to the nation.

“As we prepare to exit into prospective endeavors, we are confident that you will be able to channel all you have learnt over the years into successful ventures that will improve the economy of the country and create further opportunities for you and other citizens.

“Chasing a dream requires effort, passion and hard work which you are now halfway through. I congratulate you and wish you a very successful future”, the Minister added.

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