Sure-P scheme youths threaten to disrupt Buhari's inauguration over allowance arrears

YOUTHS being owed four months allowance arrears under the Community Services for Women and Youths Empowerment Project (CSWYEP) have threatened to disrupt General Muhammadu Buhari's inauguration on May 29 if they are not paid.

 

About 119,000 across the country under the scheme are being owed for the months of February, March, April and May by the federal government. CSWYEP is part of the government's Sure-P scheme under which thousand of youths were selected from each state to engage in community related services such as sweeping, cleaning of gutters, traffic control and maintenance of government properties.

 

Like civil servants, they have not been paid since the beginning of the year as funds meant for such scheme and salaries have been spent on elections. Exasperated at their plight, the youths plan to hold mass protests on Thursday and Friday, which could disrupt swearing-in ceremonies across the country.

 

Due to fears that they may not be paid their accumulated stipends, the beneficiaries who have been at war with state coordinators of the programme, threatened to protest during the handover ceremonies. Lucky Imasuen, the Edo State chairman of CSWYEP and the chairman of all the state chairmen, said the federal government was yet to release the funds to enable them pay the youths.

 

He added: “As we speak the federal government owes February, March, April and May and they owe state operators also. Even the N100,000 monthly allowances of the state chairmen and other state operators have also not been paid.

 

"The minister of labour sent a memo, dated 18th May 2015 to all states of the federation stating that the programme will come to an end on May 29, 2015. Upon the receipt of the letter, the 37 of us chairmen met on Thursday May 21, at Transcorp Hilton and forwarded a letter to the minister advising the ministry to make a national announcement to all the beneficiaries informing them of the indebtedness and their inability to pay."

 

He added that now the beneficiaries are planning a mass protest because of the fear that the incoming government may not honour the debt. Mr Imasuen explained that the chairmen even told the minister to address these issues but he did not, so they are all confused because even state coordinators are being owed.