News Obiaks News

Unless something is urgently done by the federal government, some beneficiaries of the N-Power programme might embark on a peaceful protest over alleged delay in the payment of their monthly stipends.
        According to Legit.ng in Osun state, Some of the beneficiaries said the federal government has not paid their October stipends, adding that they were yet to get any information on why the money was delayed. One of the beneficiaries in Ayedaade local government area of Osun state, who was simply identified as Adewale, said they were being treated like second-class citizens by the government. "Is it not disheartening for us to be treated like animals by the government we enthroned? If the senators can be paid their bogus allowances and salaries as and when due, why is it so difficult to pay graduates a meagre N30,000 monthly? It is nothing but sheer wickedness and heartlessness," he said. Another beneficiary, Janet, while speaking to Legit said that the federal government only pays them whenever it feels it was the right time to do so. She said: "They pay us only when they feel like, despite putting many of us on hold and many have been forcefully exited on flimsy excuses. I call on the presidency to probe the people saddled with the Special Intervention Programme (SIP)."
        Another beneficiary, however, said that the beneficiaries should be blamed for accepting the trend as a norm. He noted that some of them were afraid of speaking out because of the fear of being disengaged from the programme. He said: "We, the beneficiaries are to be seriously blamed. We have accepted it as norms and that is why they are treating us like fools. With our huge numbers and social media, we can make the federal government be aware of our displeasure. Many of us have already been illegally disengaged based on flimsy reasons. It is high time we took decisive actions before it is too late." Also speaking with the press, Chibuzor John, said the government is not sincere by the way the N-Power beneficiaries are being maltreated, lamenting that some of them have been put on hold while others have been forcefully exited from the programme. "Today is the 20th of November, N-Power is yet to officially issue any statement on why it hasn't paid the October stipends to its volunteers. You see, that is why some of us from this part of the country are very sceptical about this government. Not an iota of sincerity whatsoever. Everything is just for votes. Look at the numbers of people they have put on hold and forcefully exited from the programme without committing any tangible offence. They couldn't do such in the electioneering period? It's totally dehumanizing and unacceptable on the part of the government," he said.