2016 N-POWER LEADERSHIP MEET, REJECTS EXIT PACKAGE, INSIST ON PERMANENCY
2016 N-POWER LEADERSHIP MEET, REJECTS EXIT PACKAGE, INSIST ON
PERMANENCY
Npower volunteers Leadership of the 2016
beneficiaries of the Federal Government youth empowerment scheme, N-Power on
Wednesday convened a meeting to evaluate some issues related to their demand
for permanency in civil service.
Nigeria had earlier reported that 2016 N-Power
leadership group will meet to evaluate the issues raised by a top N-Power
official, Afolabi Imoukhuede regarding government position on their agitation
to be converted into the permanent staff of federal civil service at the
expiration of their two-year period in the scheme. The group who met at an
undisclosed location in Lagos comprised of 3 representatives from each state of
the federation and agreed to be known and addressed as 'G-111 for Permanency'.
In a communiqué issued at end of the
one-day meeting in Lagos and signed by its President, Abdulwaheed Ahmed,
its Publicity Secretary, Bolanle Abiodun, and National Secretary, Uchenna
Ogaranya, the group said it had reviewed the position of the Federal Government
on their agitation as represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the
President on Job Creation, Afolabi Imoukhuede during a recent Facebook live
chat. It said that though the programme was originally scheduled to accommodate
beneficiaries for a stated period of two years, it has prepared and equip
beneficiaries with relevant and useful skills as the most qualified people to
fill the numerous vacant positions occasioned by increasingly inadequate staff
in their respective PPAs.
"We are aware that the Federal Government
N-Power programme has a defined period of time it can accommodate
beneficiaries. However, it is our considered position that since beneficiaries
have within their stay in the scheme learn enormous skills and competence to
provide quality service in teaching, healthcare, and agriculture sectors, they
have qualified to be absorbed into the system currently suffering from acute
staff shortage.
Volunteer Writes N-Power "Beneficiaries
who teach in our primary and secondary schools across the country will attest
to the fact that pupils and student are not happy about losing their teachers
who have effectively impacted them with knowledge through out their fruitful
stay in the schools.
The story is the same in our Primary Heath
Centres and Agric Extension offices in every Local Government of the
Federation. "We maintain our carefully considered view that it is only by
absorbing the 2016 beneficiaries that their good work and excellent
performances can be consolidated and sustained. Throwing them back into the
streets to start roaming for unavailable job will amount to the greatest
disservice any responsible and people-oriented government can do to the
citizens.
"The Federal Government, under the able
leadership of our amiable President Mohammadu Buhari and his Deputy, Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo must pay deserving attention to our demand and act
accordingly because if we lose, Nigeria and Nigerians lose; alternately, our
conversion will mean great victory for both the APC-led Federal Government and
the good people of Nigeria.
"For now, we are not interested in the
proposed exit package as hinted by Mr. Afolabi Imoukhuede as it is not clear to
us what the idea is all about. Exit Package in whatever form or guess, can only
benefit us individually but Permanency will service Nigerians. "We have no
intention of taking any form of mass action against a government that have
benefitted us so much. Our agitation remains peaceful and persuasive; and based
on reason, facts and figures. "We enjoins our members in all the 36 States
and the FCT to continue announcing it to all relevant authorities in the land,
the very need to retain us in the federal civil service.
We
appreciate all who have been writing open letters to the relevant authorities
as well as those who have been publishing well written articles online. Our
pillar is God Almighty and we shall give Him praise at last", the
communiqué read.
