Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, revealed on Tuesday that the Federal Government received 6.4 million applications for its N-Power Batch-C youth empowerment scheme.
N-Power is a scheme launched by the Federal Government in June 2016 to alleviate young unemployment and promote social development.
She stated in Abuja at the humanitarian ministry’s open house event/inauguration of the Internally Displaced Persons Policy that 510,000 candidates had been enrolled, with 490,000 expected to join.
Farouq said, “The ministry successfully exited the 500,000 Batches A and B N-Power beneficiaries in 2020 and received about 6.4 million applications for Batch C.
“From Batches A and B, 109,823 beneficiaries have gone on to set up businesses in their communities, underlining and highlighting the impact and importance of the N-Power programme.
“Under Batch-C stream 1 there are 510,000 currently enrolled and benefitting from the programme, while an additional 490,000 will be enrolled following presidential approval to increase the number to one million.”
On the inauguration of the National Policy on IDP, the minister said the policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council in September 2021.
“The process of developing and adoption of the policy commenced in 2001, within this period the initial draft of the policy have been reviewed severally to reflect new realities and emerging trends in humanitarian space in Nigeria,” Farouq stated.
She added, “This policy intends to provide a framework for national responsibility towards prevention and protection of citizens and, in some cases, non-citizens, from incidences of arbitrary and other forms of internal displacement.
“It will meet their assistance and protection needs during displacement, and ensure their rehabilitation, return, reintegration and relocation after displacement.”