Minister Identifies Irregularities In N-Power Payment List

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, has expressed concerns about the inclusion of ineligible individuals in the NPower payment list.

During a recent interview with Arise TV, Minister Edu discussed ongoing developments within her ministry, highlighting various challenges faced by the NPower program and outlining corrective measures being taken.

Edu stated, “Upon assuming office, we identified several issues with the NPower program, prompting a comprehensive reassessment. One issue was the presence of individuals registered for NPower exceeding the allocated budget.”

She continued, “Furthermore, funds allocated for NPower beneficiaries were not disbursed promptly by the responsible managers. Additionally, we identified individuals on the payment list who were not eligible, as well as participants who were enrolled for payment without providing any services.”

Edu also noted, “Some individuals had exceeded their allotted time with the NPower program by over a year but still expected continued payments, which they referred to as an exit plan or exit payment. To address these issues, we established a committee, with the ministry’s secretary at its helm, and we have received the initial findings.”

The minister underscored the commitment of the Tinubu administration to lift 133 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. She emphasized that, by the next year, their goal was to alleviate poverty for at least 20 million Nigerians.

Edu stated, “Our poverty alleviation targets align with the SDGs we endorsed at the United Nations. President Tinubu is deeply concerned about the welfare of Nigerians and eradicating poverty. We are implementing innovative approaches to achieve different results, and we are optimistic that within the next year, we will have successfully lifted at least 20 million Nigerians out of poverty.”