Some N-power beneficiaries have met with the Federal Government (FG) over their unpaid stipends and entitlements.
Barau Jibrin, the Deputy Senate President, gave the details of the meeting in a post he shared on his official X account on Tuesday night.
“After today’s plenary, we had fruitful discussions with some N-power beneficiaries, their lawyers, and activists about the non-payment of their stipends and entitlements,” Jibrin said.
In attendance at the meeting held in Jibrin’s office at the National Assembly included Barrister Abba Hikima, the lawyer of the beneficiaries, Kehinde James, Chairman of the N-power beneficiaries, Bello Galadanci (Dan Bello), an activist, among others.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Rt Hon Abdullahi Yusuf Ata, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, attended the meeting, which lasted about an hour.
Jibrin said after the tripartite meeting, the N-power beneficiaries and their lawyer expressed satisfaction with the government’s commitment to resolving the matter.
Through their legal team, led by Barrister Hikima, they went to the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Abuja over the matter.
Jibrin said the N-power beneficiaries came to the Senate to seek his intervention, upon which he called the minister who was very responsive.
“He came on board, and there was a fruitful discussion that led them to understand that the minister had already gone very far in making preparations for the money to be paid,” Jibrin explained.
“So, having been convinced that the government has a clear intention of getting the money paid, they have now decided to back down on the legal route to get the money paid.
“I told them that this is a government that is responsive and up and doing in terms of making sure that nobody suffers in terms of getting what is due to them in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
In his words, Barrister Hikima said, ” As explained by the honourable minister, the government owes my clients about N81 billion. He has told us that they are working on it.
“I appreciate the effort of the Deputy Senate President, who, despite not being directly affected by this, took it upon himself to convene this meeting, as well as the Honourable Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Rt Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and the Humanitarian Minister.
“They have all given us their words, and we have taken them for it, and we are confident and hopeful that in the nearest future, this money is expected to be paid within the year.”
