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*2016 NPOWER BENEFICIARIES AND THE PROPOSED
ENHANCEMENT PACKAGE.*
The
Npower programme is an initiative of the President Muhammadu Buhari's
Administration. It was birthed in the year 2016, with employability capacity to
accommodate 500,000 unemployed Nigerian Youths, placed on a monthly stipend of
#30,000 and other enticing benefits accrue to beneficiaries of the scheme.
It is an
all embracing scheme as it absorbs youths irrespective of academic
qualifications and choice to get empowered in the areas of Teaching (N-teach),
Health (N-Health), Agriculture (N-Agro), Taxation (N-Tax), N-build, N-Tech and
N-creativity.
The
beauty of the scheme is embedded in the transparency at the manner in which the
recruitment process was and is being conducted. Its a breaking of history from
the cultural High wire connection (Man-know-man) pattern of conducting
recruitments from time immemorial
The
attractiveness of the scheme can also be attributed to bringing succour to the
hearts of many Nigerian graduates who before now had no meaningful source of
livelihood but at present smile to the banks, being paid as at when due.The
scheme is also viewed as a palliative measure, aiding in decongesting an
already saturated labour market.
With the
decay in the educational system that breeds unemployable graduates ,
conspicuously speaking, the Npower beneficiaries possess enhanced employability
status through skills acquired in the programme. This makes them fit into
parastatals in any capacity they may be called to serve in the future.
Currently,
the level of impact created by Npower beneficiaries in various sectors is
attested to have filled man power gaps, contrary to the unpopular speculation
labelling the scheme as a mare waste of public coffer.
On the
above premise, one can establish the fact that Mr President deserves an heavy
weight applause for this life transforming Npower initiative with the cognomen
N-Baba.
Having
taken X-ray of the pluses that accompany the scheme, it becomes unequivocally
necessary to address some shortcomings associated with the process, as there is
always two sides to a coin.
A
fundamental issue that has generated damning indictment and cess pool anger by
the 2016 beneficiaries is the ambiguous and perceived non sustainability of the
proposed "Enhancement Package" for 2016 beneficiaries whose 2year
contract seem to have elapsed. The enhancement was initially defined to mean a
continuity of the 2016 beneficiaries on the scheme to avert being retired to
the labour market.
On
October 2017, Npower through its Senior Special Assistance to the President on
job creation, Mr.Afolabi Imoukhede reiterated Federal Government's commitment
to retain such beneficiaries into government parastatal and the private sector
base on state capacities. While this measure seems futuristic and not
instantaneous, a 3month enhancement programme was proposed stretching from
November 2018 which marks the official expiration date for such beneficiaries
to February 2019, with a continued #30,000 monthly stipend.
The
dwindling state of the enhancement package subjects beneficiaries to
palpitations that the scheme may be short lived if the pendulum of power swings
in the direction of the opposition come 2019 General elections.
Considering
the state of the political season, characterised by proliferated menace of
strike actions like the ASUU and the proposed NLC strike, the Npower
beneficiaries considered a potent channel of vote garnering may be tempted to
hold the government of the day to ransom by declining vote for Mr President
come February 2019 Presidential Election.
The
president at this point in time cannot afford to risk his 4+4=8 political
formulae for any reason. Thus, it is advisable that if Mr president intends to
seek support from beneficiaries, the enhancement package should be given a cut
clear definition in no distant time , rather than promises of hearing from the
federal government from weeks that has snowballed into months of non
fulfilment.
In a nut
shell, the essence of the Npower scheme can only reap full potentials if
beneficiaries are financially equipped to transfer skills acquired into being
pragmatically resourceful. The word "Empower" simply connotes
enablement. The enablement can only be actualised if beneficiaries are exited
from the scheme with "Seed capital" ( start up monies) to get
established. This is a more feasible and efficacious approach with the capacity
to instigating a paradigm shift from reliance on white collar jobs to entrepreneurship
that drives modern economies.
The
proposal to absorb some beneficiaries into government parastals base on state
capacities seem very euphoria. This assertion can be aligned with the
economically inviability of some states to service salaries, coupled with
claims of being financially incapacitated to implement the New national Minimum
wage. Beneficiaries who reason to be compensated in this manner should renege
from nursing such thoughts as the permanency drive is contrary to terms and conditions
entered from the inception of the programme which requires an exit from the
scheme, following the expiration of their two year service time frame.
Conclusively,
the issuance of Seed Capital for beneficiaries and alternatively improved
stipend and elongated stay period on the scheme implemented before the 2019
elections will better define the sincerity of purpose and the sustainability of
the Npower scheme. A deviation from this proposed panacea will be a pitfall of
the objectives of the scheme, thus retiring such beneficiaries to the labour
market, and a return to the viscous circle of poverty that stems from
unemployment debacle.
The
outcome of the implementation of the proposed Enhancement package for the 2016
beneficiaries is a determinant of the fate of the 2017 batch on the scheme. If
the enhancement drive is not actualised, it may undoubtedly kill the morale of
the 2017 batch and impede their ability to deliver assigned responsibilities
maximally due to lack of motivation.
BY:Uwode
Eseoghene Josephine
