Senate panel to review suspension of N-Power

The senate committee on special duties says the suspension of the N-Power programme by the federal government will be reviewed. 

On Sunday, Betta Edu, minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, announced that the federal government had suspended the programme and ordered a probe.

N-Power is one of the social investment programmes (SIPs) set up by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari to address unemployment in the country.

Kaka Shehu, chairman of the committee, said he would clamour for the N-Power to be restored if the probe shows that the suspension was not in the best interest of Nigerians.

He said the committee would take appropriate action after receiving briefs from the relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

“For now, I’m yet to receive the official briefing on the suspension and the substitution of a new programme,” Shehu said on Wednesday during the inauguration of the committee.

“I don’t want to comment on that but as a lawmaker saddled with the responsibility of this committee, I will study the enabling law that brought N-power as well as the bill that is before us that scaled second reading.

“If there is no overlap and it is out, and the suspension was in the best interest of Nigerians, I will allow it to go.

“But where the suspension is not in the best interest of Nigerians, you will see me shouting on the floor that we should bring it back.

“I will not comment on whether we are going to investigate or not until after receiving briefs from the relevant MDAs.”

A bill seeking to transfer SIPs from the humanitarian ministry to the presidency is before the senate.