Nigerian govt yet to brief Senate on suspension of N-Power

The Federal Government has not briefed the Senate on the suspension of the N-Power programme.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Kaka Shehu, stated this at the inaugural meeting of the committee on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said: “For now, I’m yet to receive the official briefing on the suspension and the substitution of a new programme.

“I don’t want to comment on that but as a lawmaker saddled with the responsibility of this committee, I will study the enabling law that brought N-power as well as the bill that is before us that scaled second reading.

“If there is no overlap and it is out, and the suspension was in the best interest of Nigerians, I will allow it go. But where the suspension is in the best interest of Nigerians, you will see me shouting on the floor that we should bring it back.

“I will not comment on whether we are going to investigate or not until after receiving briefs from the relevant MDAs.”

The federal government on October 8 suspended the N-Power Programme to allow proper audit of the scheme.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu during an interview on TCV last Saturday announced the government’s plan to suspend the programme.

READ ALSO: Nigerian govt suspends Buhari’s N-Power over alleged fraud

Edu, who alleged that the N-Power was marred by irregularities, said the government would investigate how funds released for the programme were spent by the handlers since its inception seven years ago.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration launched the scheme on June 8, 2016, as a component of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) to address youth unemployment and increase social development in the country.

The National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) Amendment Bill, 2023, scaled the second reading at the Senate on Tuesday.

The bill sought to amend the NSIPA Act for proper and effective management and implementation of the programme under the Presidency.

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