Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed that online
portal of the Federal Government’s job initiative, N-Power, be re-opened on
June 17.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State, Budget and
Planning, Zainab Ahmed on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ahmed said the FG will ensure the programme accommodated
more beneficiaries this year, while encouraging youths to apply for the
programme.
She also stated that the government’s National Social
Investment Programme (N-SIP), has empowered over 1.6 million Nigerians so far.
“For example, in N-Power Scheme that 200,000 beneficiaries
have been employed, we are supposed to increase it to 500,000 beneficiaries in
2017.
“There is opportunity in the N-Power Programme for
employment. There is opportunity in the GEEP for you to get finances to be able
to start businesses. Please, this is real, it is working, join the process and
be a beneficiary,” the Minister said.
Ahmed added that the programme has not attained its set
target, because of the delay in implementation.
“The deployment, release of funds didn’t start till October
2016; and it is so because we want to make sure that the programme is planned
properly.
“We want to make sure that each beneficiary has bank account
linked to BVN; we are targeting the right people, not just people nominated by
big people.
“That took a lot of time, but we thank God that the
programme is going on well and it is now easier to upscale it,” she explained.
By Ifreke Inyang
