This is certainly good news for thousands of beneficiaries of the N-Power programme as they may soon receive their outstanding allowances totaling N81 billion, reports Business Today NG
On their behalf, the Senate has facilitated a meeting between key government officials and legal representatives of the affected individuals to address the backlog of unpaid backlog of arrears.
The intervention was spearheaded by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who hosted a crucial tripartite meeting involving federal officials, legal representatives of the aggrieved beneficiaries, and the concerned ministries.
It was gathered that over the matter over two-hour closed-door meeting was held in Barau’s office at the National Assembly.
The meeting, it was also gathered, produced a breakthrough as the beneficiaries, owed stipends from 2022 and 2023, agreed to suspend their legal action against the Federal Government based on assurances from relevant authorities.
Barau, while speaking to newsmen at the end of the meeting, said, “The beneficiaries came here to the Senate to seek my intervention. I called the Minister, and he was very responsive.
“He came on board, and there was a fruitful discussion that led them to understand that the Minister had already gone far in making preparations for the money to be paid.”
“Having been convinced that there is a clear intention on the part of government to resolve the issue, they have now decided to back down from the legal route. I assured them that this is a government that is responsive and committed to the welfare of its people, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda,” Barau added.
The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, who represented the federal government at the meeting, confirmed that the owed funds were part of the 2022 and 2023 budgets but could not be paid due to recurrent budget rollovers.
“There was no provision for the arrears in the 2024 and 2025 budgets.
