The Nigerian Government has told the exiting Batch A and B of N-Power volunteers that it cannot afford their demand of ₦600,000 each.
Africa Today News, New York reported on Thursday that hundreds of N-Power volunteers stormed the streets of Abuja protesting over their unpaid stipends.
The protesting N-Power beneficiaries demanded for permanent employment or the payment of the sum of N600,000 to each of them before disengagement.
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They also protested their sudden disengagement by the government without a substantial exit package.
The protesters stormed the National Assembly chanting anti-government and anti-Sadiya Forouq songs.
The volunteers lamented that ever since the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management was created and with Sadiya Umar Farouq in charge, things have not been the same.
They also want the removal of Sadiya Umar Farouk, for allegedly frustrating the programme.
But a statement by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development signed by its Deputy Director, Press, Rhoda Iliya, said the protesters’ request of automatic employment of all the 500,000 beneficiaries as well as payment of grant of N600,000 each, is not achievable.
The statement added, “The ministry wishes to state that this demand was not part of the agreement of engagement they signed with the Federal Government, which clearly stipulated that they will be exited after two years.
“Furthermore, the government cannot afford the N300bn they were asking for as grant.”
The statement reminded Nigerians that the current administration had expended hundreds of billions on beneficiaries of the programme since 2016.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK