N-Power fraud: We support the ICPC investigation – Ministry
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has confirmed that it is working with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission to ensure the successful investigation of allegations of fraud under the empowerment program social "N-Power".< /p>
This follows the arrest of Oladipo Oyebanjo, better known as "D'Banj", for alleged N-Power fraud by the ICPC on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzod noted that the ministry has rolled out a comprehensive mechanism for the selection of eligible beneficiaries across the country and that this has been in place since the launch of the program .
He pointed out that when it came to the Ministry's notice that there may have been cutting practices by some of the payment service provider staff involved in payee payment processes, he immediately referred the matter to the ICPC for further investigation.
Sani-Gwarzo noted that the ministry has carried out a thorough hardening of its systems to eliminate all anomalies and prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
The statement reads: "The N-Power program is a very successful component of the national social investment program implemented by the federal government. It has continued to deliver the desired impact through the integration of 1.5 million unemployed Nigerian youths (mostly graduates), by providing capacity building, targeted permanent jobs and structured offshoring to various career paths; thus serving as a catalyst for unemployed Nigerian youths/ underemployed to successful career paths and a boost to the Nigerian economy.
"The Department's attention has been drawn to recent publications regarding ongoing investigations into allegations of fraud in the program. We wish to state the following here;
"The ministry has rolled out a comprehensive mechanism for selecting eligible beneficiaries nationwide and this has been in place since the launch of the program. Working with our service provider, program beneficiaries are onboarded, trained and deployed in pre-selected primary duty stations.
"When we learned that some payment service provider staff involved in beneficiary payment processes may have engaged in malicious practices, the matter was immediately referred to the ICPC for further investigation. We are aware that some people have therefore been asked to be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigations.
"In the meantime, we have carried out a thorough hardening of our systems in order to eliminate all anomalies and to prevent similar events from happening again in the future. To this end, we are working closely with the ICPC to support the successful determination of the investigation.
"The public may wish to note that, in an effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of N-Power and other national social investment programs, namely the National Home Grown School Feeding, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program and the Conditional Cash Transfer Program, the Ministry has over time involved other Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Security Agencies and civil society organizations in monitoring and compliance checks in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
"We want to assure all N-POWER recipients of the Federal Government's continued commitment to the program and subsequent exit/onboarding channels enabled.
“All beneficiaries of the program should therefore continue to apply to the maximum at their main duty stations. All monthly allowances will continue to be paid in accordance with program expectations.
"We call on members of the public to provide information on any irregularities found in the implementation of the national social investment program.
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The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has confirmed that it is working with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission to ensure the successful investigation of allegations of fraud under the empowerment program social "N-Power".< /p>
This follows the arrest of Oladipo Oyebanjo, better known as "D'Banj", for alleged N-Power fraud by the ICPC on Tuesday.
In a statement on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzod noted that the ministry has rolled out a comprehensive mechanism for the selection of eligible beneficiaries across the country and that this has been in place since the launch of the program .
He pointed out that when it came to the Ministry's notice that there may have been cutting practices by some of the payment service provider staff involved in payee payment processes, he immediately referred the matter to the ICPC for further investigation.
Sani-Gwarzo noted that the ministry has carried out a thorough hardening of its systems to eliminate all anomalies and prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
The statement reads: "The N-Power program is a very successful component of the national social investment program implemented by the federal government. It has continued to deliver the desired impact through the integration of 1.5 million unemployed Nigerian youths (mostly graduates), by providing capacity building, targeted permanent jobs and structured offshoring to various career paths; thus serving as a catalyst for unemployed Nigerian youths/ underemployed to successful career paths and a boost to the Nigerian economy.
"The Department's attention has been drawn to recent publications regarding ongoing investigations into allegations of fraud in the program. We wish to state the following here;
"The ministry has rolled out a comprehensive mechanism for selecting eligible beneficiaries nationwide and this has been in place since the launch of the program. Working with our service provider, program beneficiaries are onboarded, trained and deployed in pre-selected primary duty stations.
"When we learned that some payment service provider staff involved in beneficiary payment processes may have engaged in malicious practices, the matter was immediately referred to the ICPC for further investigation. We are aware that some people have therefore been asked to be interviewed as part of the ongoing investigations.
"In the meantime, we have carried out a thorough hardening of our systems in order to eliminate all anomalies and to prevent similar events from happening again in the future. To this end, we are working closely with the ICPC to support the successful determination of the investigation.
"The public may wish to note that, in an effort to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of N-Power and other national social investment programs, namely the National Home Grown School Feeding, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program and the Conditional Cash Transfer Program, the Ministry has over time involved other Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Security Agencies and civil society organizations in monitoring and compliance checks in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
"We want to assure all N-POWER recipients of the Federal Government's continued commitment to the program and subsequent exit/onboarding channels enabled.
“All beneficiaries of the program should therefore continue to apply to the maximum at their main duty stations. All monthly allowances will continue to be paid in accordance with program expectations.
"We call on members of the public to provide information on any irregularities found in the implementation of the national social investment program.
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