FG Pays N1.3bn Arrears to 9,066 N-Power Volunteers

The federal government has commenced the final process of redeeming the N1, 359,900,000 outstanding allowance to 9,066 N-Power Batches A and B volunteers.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Bashir Nura Alkali, in a statement yesterday, said the payment covered the five months arrears to the volunteers.

He said the payment of the remaining 4,955 was withheld pending conclusion of further investigation for having multiple accounts and receiving other payments such as salaries and allowances from multiple federal government Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on permanent employment, amounting to gross misconduct and corruption in apparent violation of the regulations guiding the N-Power volunteer.

He said accounts of 14,021 volunteers were flagged in March 2020 by the federal government payment system, the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) to eliminate volunteers suspected of committing the above infraction.

He also revealed that the allowances of the remaining 4,955 volunteers would be subjected to appropriate sanctions as stipulated by the law when further investigation is concluded and clear violations of the agreements are established.

“Contrary to some insinuations in the public domain, this process is a clear demonstration of the Ministry’s resolve to address this unfortunate incidence in a transparent manner for accountability and to forestall its future occurrence.

“As it has consistently maintained, the investigation carried out by the Ministry is in the best interest of the country and has the major goal of institutionalising the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and ensuring its efficient management in line with Mr. President’s resolve to ensure transparency and accountability in its implementation at all times,” Alkali said.