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BREAKING: PROPAGANDA TAKEN TOO FAR!
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE’S PROPAGANDA MADE YOUWIN BENEFICIARY TO GET QUIT NOTICE FROM HIS SHOP:
AS ARISE NEWS BURSTS MINISTER OF FINANCE PROPAGANDA!
Following two consecutive protests by the beneficiaries of YouWIN 3 over gross negligence by this administration that has refused to pay them their entitlements despite the fact that the YouWiN programme was co-sponsored by World Bank, DFID and Julius Berger. The YouWiN beneficiaries (awardees) got a shocker of their life when the Federal Ministry of Finance falsely claimed to have paid 638 of them. And the false claim was declared on Channels TV by the Federal Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and circulated to so many media houses by the Ministry’s Spokesperson
The false information that was circulated by the Federal Ministry of Finance has earned a YouWiN beneficiary 7 Days Quit Notice from his shop (7 Days Notice of Landlords Intention To Take Possession of His Property). Arise News was reliably informed by the victim that he has only been paid 20% of his fund in January, 2015 by the then federal government and since then no single kobo has been paid to him by this administration. He said rented a shop and was struggling to carry on his business. He continued that he owed his landlord 6 months areas and the landlord has been understanding till he (the landlord) heard from Kemi Adeosun that she has paid 638 YouWiN beneficiaries. The infuriated landlord declared, “Young man, am old enough to be your father. I have been believing you because of your religious status. Adesosun said you guys are paid and you are playing on my intelligence.” The YouWiN awardee lamented that all his explanations fell on his landlord’s deaf ear. And in less than 3 hours after the landlord’s lawyer brought him 7days quit notice from his shop.
TITLE:
“Buhari pays N2.6bn to 638 YouWiN Awardees.”
Captured under the above heading the Federal Minister of Finance claimed to have paid total of N11.2 billion to YouWiN beneficiaries. She further broke it down as follows that N7.4 billion has been paid in June 2016 alone and another N1.687 billion has just been paid to 638 awardees. This was contained in a statement signed by Salisu Danbatta, the Spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Finance.
FACTS DISCOVERED BY ARISE NEWS:
1. YouWiN beneficiaries have been grossly neglected by Kemi Adeosun to the extent that their businesses are almost collapsing.
2. Since this administration came on board more than 1,000 YouWiN beneficiaries have NOT received any fund out of their entitlements.
3. It is a terrible lie to claim to have paid 638 in June, 2016. The only payment in June 2016 according to the beneficiaries Arise News correspondent spoke to was less than 30 awardees and the total will be far less than N90 million. All other awardees have been groaning for lack of funds.
4. The first ever payment made by this administration to YouWiN beneficiaries (awardees) was between February and March, 2016 and the total beneficiaries paid then according to our source was less than 300 awardees. And the total money paid then was less than N1.5 billion.
5. The N11.2 billion claimed to have been paid is so outrageous for the following discoveries:
All YouWiN 3 awardees are 1,500 (beneficiaries).
During Goodluck Jonathan’s administration all awardees have been paid first tranche, which is about 20% of the total funds and more than 1,000 YouWiN beneficiaries have been paid second tranche, which is about another 50% of the funds as at May, 2015 making 70%. The only payment left as at May, 2015 was 30% for more than 1,000 awardees and 80% for less than 500 awardees.
And as at today, out of those that were not paid during Jonathan’s administration, some of the YouWiN beneficiaries owed 80% have not been paid anything at all. While less than 300 have been paid second tranche only, which is about 50% of their respective total funds. And less than 30 out of those expecting final 3rd tranche, which is the last 30% were paid this June 2016.
6. A lot of the YouWiN beneficiaries (awardees) are still starved of funds.
When Arise News heard the news with the above caption, our correspondents put calls across to some YouWiN awardees and those called expressed their utter disappointment on the statement calling it “Propaganda taken too far.”
One of the YouWiN awardees who spoke to Arise News correspondents lamented how the government is frustrating their businesses due to refusal to pay them. He said that just last week about 28 awardees were paid and till now no other person is paid. “Where do they pay 638 awardees?” He asked. Lamenting that some awardees received their only tranche since January 2015 and till today nothing more.
Another awardee that spoke to Arise News correspondent said, “Madam Kemi Adeosun is tempting us to embark on another protest and this will be mother of all protests.” He asserted.
“Which YouWiN Awardees? This is propaganda taken too far. Why does this APC government thrives on lies? This is wickedness of the highest order!” Another YouWiN awardee raised alarm. She further explained that the only payment she ever received was the 20% of the grant which according to her “was paid to since 9th of January, 2016. And out of all awardees they paid less than 30 last week.” She said that Kemi Adeosun is using them to score cheap political points as she care less about the survival of their businesses.
Arise News also asked if they have accurate information on the payments to other YouWiN awardees and they said that they have forum where they meet and discuss and that they are sure as much as they are sure of their names that less than 30 awardees were paid nationwide.
One of them said, “As am talking to you now our representatives are in Federal Ministry of Finance to discuss the same issue of payment with the Permanent Secretary.”
Another YouWiN beneficiary asserted: “Awardees are not politicians, Madam Kemi shouldn’t use us to play dirty politics. All we need is our grant money not propaganda.”
Another Awardee screamed:
“This is a very big lie!!! They did not pay even 50 awardees this June to talk of 680. I am one of the 680 people approved for payment but I am not paid yet. In fact I can authoritatively tell you that none of the awardees from Northwest region which is Mr. President’s region have been paid. They have delayed our grants for more than a year thereby strangulating our businesses. Pls pay us our grants, save Youwin3 businesses and stop this your media propaganda Mrs Kemi”
Another YouWiN beneficiary angrily responded,
“This Federal Ministry of Finance publication is a propagnda of the highest order. Instead of the government to truly release the money owed YouWiN3 awardees, they decided to resort to lying about it. Please, the whole world should disregard this fake news. President Buhari & Mrs. Adeosun please, do the needful by truly paying up the awardees, shun propaganda cos it won’t help anybody.”
The aggrieved YouWiN beneficiaries quickly took to social media to debunk what they tagged, “Terrible Propaganda”.
ABOUT YOUWIN!
As a reminder, the YouWiN programme is one of the most successful job creation and transparent programmes in the entire Africa. It was initiated by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iwealla during the past Goodluck regime. And it has since then created massive jobs through youth involvements.
The programme was jointly sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Bank, DFID, Julius Berger and some commercial banks in Nigeria.
It was a transparent competition that ended up in the selection of 1,200 best entrepreneurs in Nigeria to be awarded grants ranging from 1 to 10 million for those entrepreneurs to create jobs either by boosting their existing businesses or by starting new businesses.
The grant is given in three instalments called “tranches” with specific mile stone set for each stage, which must be met and approved through serious physical monitoring before the next tranche is paid.
The first edition of YouWiN that saw the best 1,200 entrepreneurs awarded various grants with strict monitoring was so successful with massive job creation. In view of the few number of women that participated, the YouWiN coordinator decided to restrict the 2nd edition of YouWiN to women only. And 1,200 best women entrepreneurs were awarded various grants as well to also start new businesses or boost existing ones.
Basking in the euphoria of the success of the two editions of YouWiN! The Federal Ministry of Finance and other sponsors embarked on YouWiN 3 increasing the numbers of winners to 1,500 in a more rigorous competition.
After the winners were selected, the federal government was able to pay all awardees 1st tranche, which is about 20% of the total fund; for pre-business preparations. Then most awardees were paid 2nd tranche to help kick off their businesses.
Ever since Goodluck Jonathan regime handed over the remaining funds to this new regime it had been from one story to another. In fact the few awardees (less than 400) that couldn’t get their 2nd tranche before GEJ handed over are stranded. As till today (over 1 year) after Jonathan handed the money over to this administration, not up to 300 out of those expecting 2nd tranche is paid. And nobody has been paid 3rd tranche. Hence, all the 1,500 awardees are almost grounded.
After waiting for one year, while engaging all relevant stakeholders in dialogue and plea without positive response; the awardees had no option but to engage in mini protest in May, 2016. In response the representative of the Federal Minister of Finance promised them 30 days to effect the disbursement of their remaining tranches. Despite the vivid promise the Federal Ministry of Finance still failed to honour their own side of the agreements.
Hence, the YouWiN 3 awardees embarked on massive protest on 13th June, 2016 to cry to the government to fulfill their own obligations; since the YouWiN fund was from World Bank and other donors and all the needed funds was handed over by the past Jonathan administration as confirmed by the present Federal Ministry of Finance. After the first protest, the YouWiN awardees embarked on another protest on Monday 13th June, 2016 as the Federal Ministry of Finance still did not leave up to their obligation.
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This payment claim is not true as there is a forum where we awardees meet to discuss progress. No awardee in Lagos and the whole south east has been paid for instance so where is the 638 from. Awardees have met their milestones and deserve to be paid.