FG Suspend 6,345 N-power Ghost Beneficiaries in Sokoto

Federal Government on Wednesday said it has Suspended  Rogue beneficiaries of the N-Power Scheme teaching component who have been Absent at their Place of Work.

 Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and Youth Empowerment, Afolabi Imoukhuede, said. their action was not a reflection of the programme’s ideals.

Imoukhuede was reacting to a report which uncovered the activities of truant beneficiaries and their supervisors in Sokoto State.

The report highlights the endemic problem of “ghost” worker syndrome in Nigeria.

It names the beneficiaries who absconded from their various places of primary assignment but earned monthly stipends.

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In a statement, Imoukhuede  said: ”These revelations are shocking and disheartening to the N-Power team.

“The actions of these rogue beneficiaries do not in any way reflect the ideals of the social contract we signed with the participating Nigeria youths or this government’s dedication to addressing the educational needs of the country.

“Over the last few years, we have worked tirelessly to respond to the social issues confronting Nigerians in the face of the volatility of oil prices and production”.

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Imoukhuede said the beneficiaries were assigned to schools by the various state governments who are active partners with the Federal Government in the implementation process.

The beneficiaries, he added, are to be monitored by the school heads who are to make monthly reports to the state-appointed Focal Persons, who in turn forward the report directly to the central N-Power office.

“Several complaints and observations have been made, which have resulted in the expulsion of affected erring beneficiaries from the Programme as also reported in this article.

“We note attempts of some school principals, who directly interact with these beneficiaries, to provide unreliable data, further reiterating the deep-rooted corruption in the system.

“However, we acknowledge that this as a challenge that we must together overcome as we further strengthen our monitoring checks alongside our state partners.”

While commending the reporter for his unwavering dedication to objective journalism, the statement says those mentioned the article have been suspended and an investigation is ongoing.

“We appreciate all hardworking N-Power beneficiaries (who are in the majority) for their remarkable contributions to filling the gap in the education, health and agricultural sectors.”