Posted by Amarachi on Tue 12th Nov, 2019 - tori.ng
Moving the motion, Oluga noted that the Federal Government established the NSIP in 2015, in fulfillment of President Buhari's campaign promises to Nigerians.
The House of Representatives has begun investigation of the alleged arbitrary disengagement of youths engaged by the Federal Government through the N-Power scheme under the National Social Intervention Programme.
The move followed the unanimous adoption of the motion moved by a member, Taiwo Oluga, titled ‘Urgent need to investigate the arbitrariness and possible corruption in the N-Power programme of the Federal Government.’
The House, while adopting the motion, resolved that the House Committees on Sustainable Development Goals and Youth Development should “immediately investigate the alleged arbitrariness in the management of the N-Teach programme and report back to the House within the next three weeks.”
Moving the motion, Oluga noted that the Federal Government established the NSIP in 2015, in fulfillment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promises to Nigerians.
She explained that the NSIP includes the N-Power programme which consists of the N-Teach, N-Agro, N-Tech, N-Build and N-Creativity programmes.
She added that the N-Teach programme involves the engagement of educated Nigerians with National Certificate in Education, Ordinary National Diploma, Higher National Diploma, first degree, master’s and MSc and doctorate degree, who are engaged and posted to teach in different schools in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory.
Oluga said, “The House is concerned that in recent times, there are increasing cases of N-Power beneficiaries/teachers who are diligent in their places of official assignment and who have no queries or negative reports, yet at the end of the month, their payments are withheld and all efforts to get reinstated have proven abortive.
“The House is worried that these N-Power beneficiaries, their school principals and the independent Mlmonitors have confirmed that there are no queries, yet some of the N-Power beneficiaries have been blocked and exited from the platform for no reason whatsoever. Yet, they keep reporting in their place of duty and have now been owed several monthly allowances without pay.
“In Osun State alone, over 400 N-Power beneficiaries/teachers are owed monthly allowances ranging from 12months, 15months and 18months, respectively, due to arbitrary withholding of their account and unlawful exit from the platform despite diligence at the place of official assignment, which is contrary to the objectives of the N-Power/N-Teach programme.
“This arbitrariness in withholding accounts and non-payment of monthly allowances signals corruption and waste of public funds. This is also the case in many other south western states and some states in the North-Central.”