1. Nigerian govt plans to spend N400 billion on NPOWER, TRADERMONI, others in 2021
For 2021 fiscal year, the Nigerian government, under the ministry of humanitarian affairs, has proposed to spend N400 billion on its social investment programmes (NSIP).
This comprises a total recurrent expenditure of N350 billion and N50 billion for capital spendings, according to a document submitted to the National Assembly by its joint committees on poverty alleviation which PREMIUM TIMES exclusively obtained.
The document showed that while the proposed recurrent expenditure for next year would remain unchanged, the estimate for personnel cost was increased by 2.31 per cent, from N166.3 billion in 2020 to N170.1 billion in 2021.
This increase is “because of (an) increase in the number of NPOWER (NTEACH Hub) beneficiaries from 400,000 to 450,000,” the document said.
More than half of the total proposal for recurrent expenditure (that is 52.6 per cent) would be used for the implementation of programme components of the Job Creation Unit (JCU), including N-Power and Innovation Hubs.
2. N-Power: 5 months after, FG yet to shortlist names of Batch C beneficiaries
Over five months after the Federal Government opened the portal for the N-power batch C registration, it has not shortlisted names of successful candidates.
Recalled that on June 26, 2020, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, had announced the enrollment of 400,000 enrollees following the disengagement of over 500,000 beneficiaries drawn from Batch A and Batch B respectively.
Sequel to the closure of the registration on August 9, Farouq disclosed that “a total of 5,042,001 Nigerian youth have applied as at the end of the exercise. The ministry will follow a transparent process for selecting qualified beneficiaries out of those who applied.”
The Federal Government on Wednesday said over 5 million Nigerians applied for the 400,000 spaces available for Batch C of Npower scheme under the Social Investment Programme.
The government said since the programme kicked off in 2016, it has supported 500,000 young Nigerians with monthly stipends in exchange for work placements in Agriculture, Healthcare and Education.
It stated that the Batches A and B of the programme have now ended.
Eyo Nse is a creative writer, blogger and a software engineer.
He is a simple individual who loves to see others succeed in life.
Mr Wisdytech as he is popularly known - started blogging in the early 2000's.
