Tinubu govt uncovers suspicious beneficiaries on Npower payment list
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has disclosed that the current administration identified irregularities in the Npower program, leading to the inclusion of questionable beneficiaries in the program. She made this revelation during an interview with Arise TV on Monday.
Minister Edu acknowledged that the Npower program had several issues that needed to be addressed when the current government took office. These issues included:
- Over-enrollment: There were individuals registered in the Npower program beyond the capacity initially allocated for the initiative.
- Payment Delays: Beneficiaries were not receiving their payments in a timely manner due to challenges related to the management of funds allocated for Npower.
- Ineligible Beneficiaries: Some individuals appeared on the payment list who did not meet the eligibility criteria for the Npower program.
- Inactive Beneficiaries: There were individuals who were listed as beneficiaries but were not actively providing any services, yet they were receiving payments.
- Expired Enrollment: Some beneficiaries had completed their tenure in the Npower program over a year ago, but they still expected continued payments.
To address these challenges, the ministry set up a committee to investigate the issues and develop solutions. The committee’s work is ongoing, and the ministry is committed to rectifying the problems affecting the Npower program.
Minister Edu also emphasized the government’s commitment to poverty alleviation and outlined the goal of lifting at least 20 million Nigerians out of poverty by the end of the next year. This initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, and the government is exploring new approaches to achieve this objective.
The government’s determination to address these issues and bring about positive changes in the Npower program and poverty alleviation demonstrates its commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians and ensuring that social intervention schemes are effective and efficient.
