Npower News Saturday May 18th 2024

According to Npower News Saturday May 18th 2024, there is light at the end of the tunnel with respect to Npower payment as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, has taken charge of the operations of the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation following the suspension of the former minister, Betta Edu.

According to Npower News, the minister of finance, Dr. Wale Edun is demanding for Npower payment list, for the payment of all beneficiaries of Npower as the Federal Government lifts restriction on the accounts of Npower Staffs that worked in the Npower situation room and Npower monitoring inspectors.

According to Npower News, Npower and Npower monitoring staffs' accounts can now receive Npower payment “Only those that were indicted in the investigation that we are conducting, those are the people that we have their accounts suspended.” One of the Npower situation room staff, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, had said: “We are all aggrieved over the ongoing investigation that has made innocent persons victims by freezing the accounts of mere contract staff that worked all through the year from May 2023 – December 2023, without any form of payment of salaries.

“The last payment that was made was in April 2023 till a few days after Christmas when they managed to pay the backlogs of eight months (May to December) to the tune of ₦640,000 at ₦80,000 per month. “We were all excited to receive our long awaited salaries after suffering all through the year only for the salary to be paid, and immediately our accounts were frozen to date by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“We are appealing that our accounts be unfrozen so we can have access to them, as the situation is unbearable for every one of us.” Providing an update on the matter, the source, obviously excited, disclosed the “unfreezing of our accounts that were (allegedly) frozen since December last year.” His words: “I would like to give you an update on the over fifty-five bank accounts of Npower Situation Room staff that were restricted in the aftermath of the ongoing investigation of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the NSIPA.

“I am pleased to inform you that we now have access to our respective bank accounts, and this happened a few days ago. “However, a few of my colleagues have not been able to withdraw and that is strictly their banks’ problem”

According to Npower News, this development is in line with the directive issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who suspended Betta Edu on over her alleged involvement in a ₦585,000,000 misappropriation of public funds scandal.

Furthermore Dr. Wale Edun who is also the head of the investigating panel set up to investigate the alleged misappropriation of funds in the humanitarian ministry hinted that a total of 400,000 npower beneficiaries will be paid by June 2024, as the anti-graft agency concludes its investigation.

Dr. Wale Edu, the head of the panel, recommended that the presidency should relocate Npower from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to the Ministry of Finance and Coordinating Economy.

This move by Wale Edun has ignited controversy, especially in light of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s earlier directive to investigate the activities under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, aiming to address the current challenges faced by the nation.

The panel also recommended that the suspension of Npower should be lifted in order to reduce the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians, but that a new board under the leadership of Wale Edun should oversee Npower.

According to Npower News, the Npower National Coordinator of Npower has said that Npower payment to eligible beneficiaries of npower batch C will start by June next month. All beneficiaries of Npower batch c will be paid their 9 month stipends as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, have now assumed the position of Betta Edu.