By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has refuted contrary assumption about the ministry and has scored the N- Power empowered initiative put in place by the Federal Government successful.
The Permanent Screctary of the ministry Dr. Nasir Sani–Gwarzo in a self assessment said that the government intervention is a very successful component of the National Social Investment Programmme put in place by the Federal Government to empower 1.5 unemployed Nigerian youths.
Sani- Gwarzo, stated that the N-Power initiative has continued to deliver desired impact through the on-boarding 1.5million Unemployed Nigerian youth (mostly graduates), providing capacity building, targeted tenured employment and structured off-boarding unto various career paths; thereby serving as a catalyst conveyor system for unemployed/under-employed Nigerian youth to successful career paths and a stimulus for the Nigerian Economy.
Meanwhile, regarding a recent publications concerning the ongoing investigations in relation to fraud allegations in the Programme. the ministry stated that it selection of eligible beneficiaries from across the country from inception is through a well-rounded mechanism.
Working with our Service Provider, Program Beneficiaries are onboarded, trained and deployed to pre-selected Places of Primary Assignment.
“On the issue of sharp practices when noticed, by some personnel of the Payment Service Provider (PSP) involved in the payment processes of beneficiaries, the matter was immediately referred to ICPC for thorough investigation.”
“In the meantime, we have carried out thorough reinforcement of our systems to eliminate all anomalies and prevent similar occurrences in the future. To this end we are in close collaboration with ICPC to support the successful determination of the investigation.”
The ministry said it has overtime involved government MDAs, security agencies and CSOs in the monitoring and compliance to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of N-Power and other National Social Investment Programmes, namely the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme(NHGSFP), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP)and the Conditional Cash Transfer(CCT), across the 36 states and the FCT.
The ministry further urged the public to come forward with information on any irregularities noticed in the implementation of the National Social Investment programmne through its social channels.
