N-Power: Presidential aide says exit plans for beneficiaries on course

Mrs. Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investment, says the National Social Investment Office has an exit plan for N-Power beneficiaries.

Uwais told our reporter on Monday in Abuja that the plans were worked out long before the progamme was moved to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster and Social Development.

“We have had meetings with Central Bank of Nigeria on different loan options for the N-Power beneficiaries after exiting the scheme.

“We have discussed with the Minister of Finance on some funding via the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme.

“We have also met with state governors to employ beneficiaries from their own states. The goal is to give N-Power beneficiaries a smooth exit on graduation,” he said.

She said that she had briefed the humanitarian affairs minister and also stressed the need to meet with the Minister of Finance to actualise the plans.

The presidential aide dismissed reports claiming that the Social Investment Programmes would be restructured.

“The National Social Investment Office is not aware of any plan to restructure or frustrate the programmes.

“Our operations have been very transparent. For every payment to the beneficiaries of all the social investment programmes, the ministry is fully involved in all the processes,” she said.

According to her, the programmes were under the Ministry of Budget and National Planning before they were moved to the new ministry.