N-power non-graduates scheme begins Next month

The Presidency says the Federal Government will begin the non-graduates scheme component of the N-Power programme in July.

Afolabi Imoukhuede, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation (N-Power Scheme), disclosed this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

He said N-Power had two broad components, namely: graduate and non-graduate schemes.

“We are hopeful that by June/July we should deploy those ones in different batches across the country and FCT.

“So it is worthy of note that those who applied for that programme (non-graduates) should just stay rested.

“The fact that we have not deployed you doesn’t mean that we have forgotten you.

“We have all your details, we have all your contacts and we will deal with them.’’

Mr. Imoukhuede explained that the non-graduate component of the programme was designed to empower the beneficiaries with vocational skills.

“The non-graduate component is more of skills development and vocation programme.

“For vocational training, we have construction work, automobile technicians, technology, which is hardware and software.

“They will come in for a programme and three months they will go and (also do) apprenticeship for nine months.

“It is like one year engagement for them; while they are undergoing training they will get some stipends and they we will also provide them with necessary tools and consumables.”

Mr. Imoukhuede added that the scheme would also partner with employers for the apprenticeship programme and also give the volunteers some stipends.

According to him, that type of programme will not only be empowering the trainees, but transferring skills to them for life as well.

The presidential aide said the office had been working with relevant stakeholders to ensure successful implementation of the scheme.

“We have been working behind the scene; we have signed MoU with our partners, Automotive Development Council of Nigeria, for the automotive training.

“We have got quite some big partners and we are just finalising all our arrangements. ‘’

He said while the process of procurement of the needed goods and consumables were going on in the office, the fast-track process was also going on in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as well.

According to him, N- power is the job creation component of the Social Investment Programme (SIP) of the current administration.

He said the office started working on the implementation as soon as the present administration was inaugurated on May 29, 2015.

He said by December 2015, the administration had come up with a blueprint on how to keep the promise it made to implement the scheme.

Mr. Imoukhuede described SIP as the most ambitious programme of the Federal Government, adding that so far, government had committed N500 billion to the programme.

“The programme received N500 billion in 2016, but unfortunately, it came at the time when the economy was grappling with low revenue,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the social investment programme has five components.

They include the N-Power, being the job creation component; Home Grown School Feeding; the Conditional Cash Transfer; and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

The last component is the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Junior.