TheCable

The federal government says it will prosecute N-Power volunteers that are receiving monthly stipends but have refused to appear in their primary places of assignment.

Afolabi Imoukhuede, senior special assistant to the president on job creation (N-Power scheme), said this at a NAN forum on Wednesday.

He said the government had discovered 17 N-power volunteers that had been receiving salary since December but refused to go to their primary places of assignment.

Imoukhuede said the discovery was due to the collaboration between the federal government and state governments through a monitoring framework put in place.

“This issue of them not going to work is an exception that we are not going to take chances. We are going to really blow that exception so that it becomes a deterrent,” he said.

“Because in the school where I identified them, their dutiful colleagues, the volunteers who are the true ambassadors of N-power, are there and they know these people.

“So now if we don’t investigate and prosecute them, they now get de-motivated.

“They must remain motivated to continue to work regardless of what season it is; rainy season, dry seasons or what have you.’’

He added that another five volunteers discovered to be “collecting unbroken stipends since December” had also stopped going to their primary places of assignment.

He, however, noted that the scheme was an “overwhelming success” in terms of attendance as some volunteers “showed passion on their jobs in spite of other challenges.”