YESSO beneficiaries protest against non- payment of stipends

Some beneficiaries of the Federal Government Poverty Intervention Programme, popularly referred to as Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) in Osun State, yesterday protested against non-payment of their four months stipends.

The beneficiaries, mainly from Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, who stormed the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) office in Osogbo to register their grievances, alleged that the Federal Government, contrary to the promise made when the programme was launched that payment of their stipends would be prompt as at when due, had not fulfilled the promise. Spokesmen of the group, Adeyanju Muhammad and Babalola Aliu, said that all the beneficiaries from Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, had not been paid since the programme started four months ago.

They said the protest was to draw the attention of the concerned authorities to come to their aid by ensuring that they get their money as at when due.“We have reported to the authorities through our representatives from all nine local councils to help us convey our complaints but yet, nothing was done about it, hence the need for the protest.“Maybe they have not reported the case to the appropriate authorities but with this protest now, the authorities will be aware that something like this is going on,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Communication Officer of NDE and YESSO Skills for Job Programme, Mr. Tewogbade Latona, said there was a delay in the payment due to technical hitches, which he said, would soon be resolved. Latona said that they had informed headquarters and they promised that the stipends would be paid before the week runs out.

“Actually, there was a delay in the payment of some beneficiaries. The programme was being run in two centres. We took one at UNIOSUN where 612 participants from different local councils took part in the training.“That of Osun State Polytechnic in Iree, 722 participants were drawn from nine local councils for the same programme. We don’t have problem in UNIOSUN as all the 612 participants had been paid. They have received two months stipends.

“But this kind of delay as regards that of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, has been reported at our headquarters and the feedback we got from our headquarters was that they were working on it. They said we should appeal to the participants to be patient that as soon as possible, the problem would be resolved.