The North-Central Advocacy Coalition (NCAC) has joined the chorus of voices calling on the Nigerian federal government to reinstate the Renewed Hope Job Creation Programme (RHJCP), formerly known as N-Power.
News About Nigeria reports that the programme, designed to provide job opportunities and skills training to Nigerian youth, was abruptly halted, a move that the NCAC believes will have far-reaching negative consequences, especially for the North-Central region of the country.
The suspension of the N-Power programme, according to the NCAC, will create several adverse implications, including increased competition in an already saturated job market for programme beneficiaries.
This will be particularly detrimental to the Northern region, where the programme has significantly contributed to reducing unemployment and poverty levels.
Ndagi Baba Toro, President General of the NCAC, expressed these concerns during a press conference, highlighting the essential role the N-Power programme has played in creating employment opportunities and providing skills training to millions of young people.
He lamented the hasty and unpopular decision to suspend the programme and criticised the government for not considering alternative solutions, such as a gradual phasing-out process with a clear transition plan.
The NCAC warned that suspending the N-Power programme would reverse the progress made thus far, leading to increased unemployment rates and higher poverty levels.
This, in turn, would affect not only the beneficiaries themselves but also their families, posing a significant risk to overall socio-economic stability in the region.
Additionally, the coalition emphasised the link between the suspension of the N-Power programme and heightened security challenges in Northern Nigeria.
The programme had served as both a means of employment and a social inclusion and empowerment mechanism for young people.
Discontinuing this beneficial scheme, the NCAC warned, might result in unemployed and frustrated youth who could become susceptible to recruitment by extremist groups or engage in criminal activities. This, in turn, could exacerbate the existing security issues in the region, thus compromising national security.
The NCAC urged the immediate reinstatement of the N-Power programme and implored the government to recognise its vital role in addressing unemployment and poverty, particularly in the Northern region. They called on the government to reconsider this decision in light of the far-reaching implications for unemployment, poverty, and security.
