N-TAX UPDATE, INTERVIEW PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

N-Power commenced the 2017 Application on 13^th of June, 2017.  N-Power Tax, a new category was introduced to engage volunteers enlisted via the N-Power application process as Community Liaison Tax Officers under the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS).  VAIDS is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) and Joint Tax Board that encourages non-compliance tax payers to voluntarily declare their correct income and assets and pay the appropriate tax, as well as, widen the tax net.

The VAIDS programme seeks to select 7,500 qualified N-Tax Volunteers who will undertake tax promotion, document review, record keeping, tax enquiry response, customer management, report writing, amongst others.

On the 29^th of June, 2017, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo SAN, issues an Executive Oder instituting VAIDS.  VAIDS has a lifespan of 9 months commencing on the 1^st of July, 2017.  As a result, the VAIDS N-Tax category will operate an expedited selection process separate from the general N-Power programme for N-Teach, N-Agro and N-Health.  This would be facilitated directly by the Federal Ministry of Finance, VAIDS team.  In connection with this, all applicants are invited to note:

·         First, the 2-week extension of the N-Power application did not apply to VAIDS N-Tax.  As of the 14^th of July, application for VAIDS N-Tax closed with 229, 245 applications.  Ony 186, 904 applicants had their BVN and applications records matched and validated, as such were invited for the assessment test.

·         Secondly, the next phase is that of VIADS N-Tax Physical Interviews to be conducted by the Federal Ministry of Finance VAIDS Team across Nigeria.  This process has since commenced by the published schedule from the Federal Ministry of Finance VAIDS team.  A physical verification of applicants will also be undertaken during this phase.

·         Those successful at this round will progress to the next phase of Assessment Interviews (in batches) which will hold at the Treasury Academy, Orozo, Abuja.  Again the Federal Ministry of Finance VAIDS team will contact successful applicants and invite them for this stage of interviews.  This would culminate with a written assessment test.

·         The next stage is that of Final Selection and Deployment

For ease of reference, please note VAIDS/N-Tax selection process.

1.       Application

2.       BVN Validation

3.       Test

4.       Physical Interview in State and Physical Verification

5.       Assessment Interview

6.       Final Selection

7.       Deployment

N-Power is the Registration/Application Partner for the VIADS/N-Tax.  As the application partner, it was responsible for process 1-3 ONLY.  The Ministry of Finance/VAIDS team will lead on the implementation of process 4-7.

N-Tax applicants may now direct complaints and inquires to the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) VAIDS/N-Tax channels.

Facebook: http//www/facebook.com/VAIDSNG/

Twitter: @VAIDSNG

Instagram: @ideclareng

Youtube: http//www.youtube.com/channel/UCqV4w_4OE2P12Mcx9jtrd)w

LinkedIn: Vaids Nigeria

Website: www.vaid.gov.ng

N-POWER NG MONITORING TEAM IN KWARA STATE

The N-Power Monitoring Team led by the National Coordinator, SSA to the President on Job Creation, Mr, Afolabi Imoukhuede carried out the monitoring exercise.  On Monday the 24^th day of July, 2017, the exercise started with a brief meeting with the State Institutional Partners and later held an Interactive Meeting with the volunteers in the State where the volunteers present get to hear what the programme is all about and hence the need to take their job serious.

Volunteers in the Federal Government’s job creation scheme, N-Power, have been asked to fix issues with their accounts or be dropped from the programme.

Presidential aide on Job Creation, Afolabi Imoukhuede, said this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Imoukhuede, who had explained why N-Power blacklisted some volunteers, emphasized that July ending was the deadline given to all with stipend issues.

His words: “Those of you yet unpaid are enjoying several months of grace”.

“End of July is the last chance and if they are unable to reconcile their accounts we will call them to exit the programme and 263 of them are involved in Kwara”.

On the deployment of non-professionals to N-Teach, N-Agro and N-Health, the presidential aide noted that volunteers were sent as assistants in the disciplines, adding that “the scheme is qualification agnostic and we deployed to areas of need”.

He recalled that the Federal Government’s N6.9 billion monthly investment from where Kwara economy had sucked in N160 million via the volunteers, was not a joke.

“The beauty of the scheme is that rather than fund state treasury, the money goes straight to volunteers’ pockets from where it trickles down to the economy of their rural families and enhances their saving culture.

“That is why the scheme earns a space in the economic recovery programme of the Federal Government,’’ he said.

“There will be evaluation of performance through the devices.

“Google and Microsoft Academy have provided lots of learning materials in the devices for your benefits, so you have to take the devices seriously as your daily manual,’’ he advised.

Imoukhuede advised the state’s institutional partners to ensure effective monitoring and discipline, adding that they would be shortchanging the state and the rural communities if they failed in such task.

He however made it clear that the State Implementing unit, under the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Executive Governor of Kwara State on Youth Empowerment Alh. Saka Babatunde has the mandate to go out on monitoring and report volunteers found wanting in the place of Primary Assignment.

During the monitoring exercise in Omu-Aran, he stated that some volunteers in the State would not be getting their pay for the month of August as a disciplinary measure for the fluctuating and non-attendance in the place of work

2016 N-POWER UNPAID VOLUNTEERS (Alert)

N-Power on its social media stated that all volunteers that are still having payment issues will be called for proper documentation of their valid Bank Verification Number (BVN) and Bank Account Details.

The above exercise will commence today 4^th July, 2017 as stated by the N-Power Federal Team. All affected volunteers are advised to “Please understand that this is a process”, and phone calls will be made from official lines ONLY.  Beware of fraudsters.

You are hereby advised to get all necessary documents ready as you can be called soon.  The necessary documents include:

i. Bank Verification Number (BVN) Details

ii. Bank Account Number Details

Stay tuned for more important and detailed info.

Assessment Test TIME-TABLE For 2017 N-Power Applicants

N-Power on its social media page has stated that the Assessment Test for the N-Tax Applicants will hold between 1^st and 3^rd day of July, 2017.  Below are the the steps to writing the assessment test.

1.       You will receive an SMS to write the assessment test because your BVN records match your application.

2.       Proceed to the website www.npower.gov.ng

3.       Click on the Test Menu

4.       Log in with your phone number and BVN

Find below the Time Table for the Assessment

1. N-Tax  July 1st to July 3rd

2.N-Health  July 4th to July 6th

3.N-Agro July 7th to July 10th

4.N-Teach July 11th to 21st

Note: All Applicants that applied between 1^st and 13^th of July, 2017 and their application matches their BVN  records will get an SMS to write their assessment test between 25^th and 31^st of July, 2017

Stay tuned for more important and detailed information.

N-Power Assessment for N-TAX Applicants

N-Power on its social media page has stated that the Assessment Test for the N-Tax Applicants will hold between 1^st and 3^rd day of July, 2017.  Below are the the steps to writing the assessment test.

1.       You will receive an SMS to write the assessment test because your BVN records match your application.

2.       Proceed to the website www.npower.gov.org

3.       Click on the Test Menu

4.       Log in with your phone number and BVN

Fine below how the page looks like when you are on the valid site.

Stay tuned for more important and detailed information.

2017 N-POWER ASSESSMENT

N-Power on its twitter page @npwower_ng stated on the 30^th day of June, 2017 that the assessment for all registered applicant that has been successfully verified through the NIBSS with their respective Bank Verification Number (BVN) details will commence on the 1^st day of July, 2017. 

To avoid some of the issues of the 2016 applications, 2017 applicants will have to go through the process listed below

1.       Application

2.       BVN Validation

3.       Test

4.       Device Selection

5.       Pre-Selection

6.       Physical Verification

7.       Selection

8.       Deployment

The assessment will be done online and all qualified applicant will receive an SMS a day before his or her assessment date.  All applicant are advised to always check the www.npower.gov.ng as some may not receive the SMS due to unavailability of network on their mobile phones or they may be in some remote areas.  Fore warned is fore armed.

This is also to inform you that some applicants will receive SMS asking them to reapply for the 2017 N-Power Programme.  N-Power on its twitter handle hereby urges anyone that receives the message to kindly reapply on or before the 13^th of July, 2017.

Stay tuned for more important and detailed information.

N-Power Device Collection

The Federal Government Social Investment Programme, N-Power stated that the device collection would be done sometimes in April but due to some unforeseen circumstance and change in strategy and decision, the distribution of the device has been postponed for easy and convenient distribution of the said devices.

However, the device collection will be in batches and you can be rest assured that the devices will reach their rightful owners without being exploited by anybody, authority or officials.

There has not been any date at the moment as to when the device will be ready for pick-ups due to security reasons and all volunteers that have successfully selected their devices will get theirs when all security measures have been put in place

You are hereby advised to get the following documents ready, and wait for an e-mail from the N-Power Federal team containing your receipt which you will need to print and take to the collection centre. Some of the documents includes;
i. N-Power device collection receipt (Pls make a coloured print out of the Receipt)
ii. N-Power Profile details which consist of; Your bio data, Your device specification, Your bank details, Your payment details.
iii. Your valid means of IDENTIFICATION (ID) the one you have uploaded on your portal. It could be either of the following; BVN card, National ID card, Driver's license or PVC (Permanent Voters Card)

At the point of collection make sure the device carton is sealed, if tempered do not accept it, then open it to confirm if the device is in a good working condition and make sure all accessories are intact according to SPECIFICATION.  The following accessories includes; Charger, Keyboard (for Tecno, Afrion 2 in 1), Pouch, Memory card, USB cord, User manual and other necessary accessories.

Note that the distributors will not be liable for any claim or complain after collection. 

In view of the above, do not procrastinate, be sure you are at the collection centre as early as possible, some device may come with "factory errors".

The bird that comes last drink muddy water. Don't settle for leftover.

FG withholds stipend of 17 N-Power volunteers

Awka – No fewer than 17 volunteers in the federal government’s job creation scheme, N-Power, will no longer be paid stipends until they explain their truancy from the scheme since their deployment.
Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Job Creation, made the statement on Thursday in Awka during a meeting between the state’s institutional partners and N-Power Monitoring and Evaluation team.
GRADUATE TRAINEES
“The stipend for 17 volunteers from different states have been on hold since May due to the inability of their supervisors to see them at work for months,’’ he said
The Presidential aide said that the federal government would not continue to shoulder the financial burden of those who failed to understand the scheme and treat it with the seriousness it deserved.
He said that a common trend that ran in some of the states already visited by the M&E team was that volunteers, especially those in N-Agro, failed to keep consistent attendance book.
He added that some of the volunteers logged-in and disappeared without permission.
Imoukhuede told the stakeholders who attended the meeting that log book was key and urged them to ensure effective monitoring of the volunteers under them.
He also urged them to file quarterly reports about the programme to the N-Power office and monthly report on the conduct of volunteers so that those found wanting would be delisted from payment.
He said that in spite of the six-month physical verification done by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Anambra, 21 volunteers do not have account records and might be demobilised.
The SSA called on the state to build strong institutional partners to strengthen the scheme to enable the volunteers become employable after two years.
He said: “this is a development-oriented programme for two years per participant.
“Whether the Federal Government wants to continue with it or not after two years, nothing stops the states and local governments from running their own N-power using the structures and resources developed by the federal government.’’
Imoukhuede thanked Gov. Willie Obiano for embracing and supporting the scheme, adding that separation of politics from development would catalyse development in the country.
In his remarks, Mr Mark Okoye, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, said the Obiano administration had taken ownership of the Social Investment Programmes for efficiency and effectiveness.
He said that the Home Grown School Feeding Programme had achieved 91 per cent success in the state.
He said that 22,000 vulnerable people were registered for the Conditional Cash Transfer and more than 4,000 volunteers deployed in N-Power.
“For us we know what we wanted to do; it has been a rewarding experience.
“We truly want to commend the federal government, specifically President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, for initiating the job-creation scheme for the youths,’’

Kwara Government Organizes Free N-Power Registration, Sensitization for Prospective Kwara Applicants

Kwara State Government on Thursday 22nd June, 2017 organized a sensitization programme for the prospective NPower beneficiaries in Kwara at the State Banquet Hall, opposite Government House, Ilorin. The programme, which was organized through the office of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Youth Empowerment, educated the youths who were interested in applying for scheme.


The SSA Youth Empowerment, Alhaji Saka Babatunde, who disclosed that no fewer than thirty thousand unengaged youths in Kwara State have duly registered in the second phase of the programme, which is a division of Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes, took time to take the participants through the basic steps of successful registration to become beneficiaries of the empowerment programme.

 Alhaji Babatunde made it known that the drive of the sensitization programme was to guide and enlighten clearly Kwara state youths who are interested in registering and guard against for the past recorded errors which cost beneficiaries hugely. He therefore reiterated to the interested candidates that his office, at the room 220 of Governor’s office Ilorin, is open for free registration and assistance.  He proceeded by further disclosing that Kwara state is far below the target for second phase of N-Power and called resulted in the worry of Kwara state government to ensure that majority of unemployed youths in Kwara state make full use of the opportunity. Hence, the free registration support through his office.


He added that if the target is met, additional sum of six hundred million naira would be coming to the state monthly as wages for beneficiaries. Thereby increasing the economic situation and reducing youth restiveness in the state.

The programme then lasted by a question and answer segment where participants asked questions of grey areas and the governor’s aide gave responses to quench their thirst. The participants were full of appreciation to Kwara State government on the programme as many explained their ordeal in their previous unsuccessful registrations. They also promised to make use of the opportunity provided through the office of the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Empowerment to Governor Ahmed of Kwara state, Alhaji Saka Babatunde, to register in enmasse and increase the quota of Kwara in the federal government’s empowerment programme.