The Federal Government is reportedly set to clear the N81 billion owed to N-Power beneficiaries for allowances dating back to 2022 and 2023.
This update came after a closed-door meeting held on Tuesday, July 22, and convened by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.
The meeting brought together representatives of the unpaid N-Power beneficiaries, their legal counsel Abba Hikima, and key government officials, including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Speaking with journalists after the session, Senator Barau described the meeting as productive, revealing that the Federal Government had already begun putting plans in place to settle the outstanding payments.
"The beneficiaries came to the Senate for help, and I reached out to the minister who responded positively. We've had a fruitful discussion, and the government has shown clear commitment to clearing the backlog. As a result, the beneficiaries have agreed to suspend their legal action," he stated.
Professor Yilwatda also confirmed the government's position, noting that the debt arose from unpaid allowances that were captured in the 2022 and 2023 budgets but not released due to funding gaps.
He explained,
"We admit that the government owes them. These allowances were part of past budgets but didn't get funded. We secured approval from the service-wide vote late last year and are now working to begin disbursement within this fiscal year. We are committed to settling everything before the year ends."
The beneficiaries' lawyer, Abba Hikima, backed up this claim, saying that the lawsuit filed on behalf of the aggrieved N-Power participants has been suspended, thanks to the assurances from the Senate and Ministry.
"My clients are being owed around N81 billion. The minister has assured us that payments will start once the 2025 budget implementation begins. We appreciate the efforts of the Senate and all officials involved," Hikima said.
Also speaking, Chairman of the N-Power beneficiaries, Kehinde James, expressed gratitude to Barau and the ministers involved for taking steps toward resolving the issue after years of frustration.
The N-Power programme, once seen as a key youth empowerment initiative, has been hit by repeated delays in payment over the past few years, leading to protests and mounting pressure on the government.
The Senate now says it's confident that with this renewed push, the matter will be resolved by the end of 2025.
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