Beneficiaries of one of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s National Social Investment programmes, NSIP, N-Power, have lamented the delay in payment of their stipends since the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, under the leadership of Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, took over the scheme.
Farouk was appointed by President Buhari to serve as the Minister of the newly created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in July 2019.
She was sworn-in alongside other 42 Ministers in August, 2019.
The Npower and other social investment programmes of the current administration were formerly under the office of the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.
Since the creation of the new ministry, according to the beneficiaries, things have turned out worse and some of them have taken to social media to call out the Minister.
They described as inhumane the failure of Farouk to pay them their stipends in due time even at this period of the Coronavirus lockdown.
It has been observed that in recent months, the beneficiaries had to wait until towards the middle or end of the next month before receiving their stipends.
In some of the comments obtained, the angry beneficiaries even described the Minister as biblical Pharaoh, while some said she is ”heartless and cancerous.”
@timjayy wrote, “Dear ma, how do you justify your stay in that office? You have only worsened the situation you were called to salvage and the greatest you have achieved and has promoted your name is the cry of Npower volunteers always calling you for payment at odd hours which you always ignore.
“All Ministry, Departments and Agencies of the government, MDAs have been paid in this critical time to help their family survive this period, what is delaying Npower Volunteers payment after six months in office? Should we say you @Sadiya_farouq is still going through our files?”
@chinaemezuOdike, “Minister of Humanitarian Affairs please pay Npower their March stipends. We are starving. My four kids really need to be taken care of. Please I am pleading. Thanks ma’am.
@GeorgeMarine, “Its sad and unfortunate that beneficiaries of Npower no longer get their stipends when due, the executives and legislators believe have received their march salaries
#PayNpowerMarchStipend.”
@FaleyeTs, “Enough is enough of [this] deliberate delay of our monthly stipend. Hon. @Sadiya_farouq of @FMHDSD should fulfil her promise of immediate payment to @npower_ng she promised on 31-03-2020. We are not beggars and can’t continue to die of hunger during this #StayHome #PayNpowerMarchStipend.”
@Afrukama, “Madam @Sadiya_farouq please stop being the real disaster to Npower beneficiaries. They are not beggars, pay them their march stipends. They are all suffering from the lockdown and needs money to suvive this season.”
@JosephUsoro6, “Good evening sir….. Please save our soul with new Minister of Humanitarian…… NPower beneficiaries are dying of hunger because of none payment of March stipends by the minister.”
@adaeze-tweets, “Npower Stipend delays is injustice and wickedness especially in this lockdown.”
@Judy4twit, “How can you stay comfortable in your home without paying those you serve yet you sharing money? This is the time they need this money most in their lives you disappointed them madam.”
@acheseogbeinbia, “This must be the Pharaoh against Npower volunteers. A cancer growing speedily affecting 36 states of Nigeria. A mother without heart. A mother without feelings. A mouthpiece without speaker. A venomous snake on a federal tree. Who always making it an habit of not paying.
@Remipetak, “Since @NSIP_NG has been under your ministry, aunty
@Sadiya_farouq you never pay @npower_ng their stipend as at when due. Your month of March not yet end. You better change for good.”
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