The National Social Investment Office (NSIO) has advised Nigerians, particularly beneficiaries of the N-Power programme, to discountenance fake social media messages about the scheme, Concise News reports.
Justice Bibiye, the Communications Officer, NSIO, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, urged the beneficiaries to be circumspect.
He said that fraudulent messages were put out to deceive unsuspecting individuals into applying for a fresh batch of N-Power volunteers or N-Power devices via fabricated links on the social media.
“Such messages are the handiwork of fraudsters who would stop at nothing in trying to rip innocent people of their hard earned resources.
“We wish to state categorically that the Federal Government has yet to commence the distribution of devices to Batch B, N-Power beneficiaries.
“Indeed, the process has commenced and all beneficiaries would be duly informed via the N-Power website or other verified social media contacts of the NSIO, when the devices are available.
“Electronic devices such as IPads and laptops, among others, are part of the working tools given to beneficiaries of the N-Power programme.
“The devices are preloaded with learning modules to help beneficiaries function effectively in their various specialties at their Primary Places of Assignment (PPA),’’ he said.
Every month, the Federal Government spends about N15 billion as stipends on over 500,000 volunteers of the N-Power scheme, a component of the National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP).
Dubbed as the largest post-tertiary employment programme in Africa, the Muhammadu Buhari government sees the scheme as one of its major achievements.
Beneficiaries do not need high-wire connections as the screening process was largely transparent and efficient.
Headquartered under the office of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, N-Teach is the most popular of the N-SIP, which also focuses on health, agriculture and public finance.
Due to the deficiency in the number of teaching staff in public schools, many “unemployed graduates” were deployed to schools in order to complement the efforts of the staff on ground.
In 2016 when the N-Power programme started, 200,000 beneficiaries were selected and deployed to their Primary Place of Assignment (PPA) out of about 700,000 Nigerian graduates who reportedly applied.
Two batches have been recruited since the launch of the programme in 2016. Curious Nigerian youths are expectant of another job opening concerning the scheme.
