774,000 jobs: Buhari orders release, payment of beneficiaries

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of funds for the payment of itinerant workers engaged under the Special Public Works Programme.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN, stated this in a tweet via his official handle on Saturday.

The minister in the tweet, said he had directed the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, to commence the processing of payments for the workers engaged in the 774 local government areas.

Keyamo in his verified Twitter handle wrote: “President Muhammadu Buhari has graciously directed a release of the funds for the payment of stipends to the 774,000 participants of the SPW programme.

“I have consequently directed the NDE to begin processing the payments and participants should begin to receive payments soon.

“In order to eliminate fraud and/or double payments, I have also directed that every payment to participants should be made using the BVN of their accounts so we can have an audit trail of every single payment. Those who registered with different names shouldn’t expect payments.”

Recall that the Federal Government had in January this year, flagged off the 774,000 jobs, with each participant expected to receive N20,000 for the next three months.

The minister said participants will be paid through their bank verification numbers, BVN, to eliminate fraud and/or double payments to participants.