Reps probe ‘corruption in N-Power’

The house of representatives has resolved to investigate alleged corruption in the federal government N-Power scheme.

The house made the resolution during Tuesday’s plenary session after debating a motion on the matter sponsored by Oluga Taiwo from Osun state.

TheCable investigation had revealed the fraudulent activities going on in the scheme.

The report exposed how some beneficiaries bribe officials to continue receiving payment after absconding from their duty posts.

Taiwo said while beneficiaries are posted to various schools and institutions across the 36 states independent monitors are often contracted to supervise their activities mostly through unscheduled visits.

She said the monitors are required to report any case of truancy, indiscipline or misconduct to the NSIP office in Abuja after which payment of indicted beneficiaries will be withheld among other punishment.

She, however, said while some of the beneficiaries get away with infractions, others who are not guilty of any crime usually have their payments withheld or expelled from the scheme for no just cause.

“In Osun state alone, over 400 N-Power Beneficiaries/teachers are been owed monthly allowances ranging from 2 months. 15 months and 18 months respectively due to arbitrary withholding of their account and unlawful exit from the Platform despite diligence at place of official assignment,” she said.

“This is also the case in many other south-western states and some state in the north-central.”

She told the house that such such actions “signals corruption and waste of public funds, and called for probe of to the “waste or mismanagement of the funds”.

The house subsequently mandated its committees on sustainable development goals, and youth development to investigate the alleged corruption and report back in three weeks.