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YESSO beneficiaries protest non-payment of 4-month stipend in Osun
By SUNDAY OGUNTUYI, Osogbo
Beneficiaries of the Federal Government poverty intervention program popularly referred to as Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) in Osun State have protested the non-payment of their four months stipend.
The beneficiaries stormed the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) office along Ilobu Road Osogbo to register their displeasure over nonpayment of their stipend.
The beneficiaries mainly from Osun State Polytechnic, Iree chapter, said the Federal Government failed to fulfill its agreement, contrary to the promise made when the programme was launched that their payment would be prompt as at when due.
YESSO is a World Bank assisted program aimed at alleviating poverty in the state. The initiative has helped to cteate youth employment, empowerment of women and people with disabilities and social service delivery.
Spokesmen of the group, Adeyanju Muhammad and Babalola Aliu said all the beneficiaries from Osun State Polytechnic, Iree have not been paid since the programme started four months ago.
He said the protest was to draw the attention of the concerned authority to come to their aid by ensuring that they get their money as at when due.
“We have reported to the authority through our representatives from all nine local governments to help us convey our complaints but yet nothing was done about it hence the need for the protest.
“Maybe they are not reporting the case to the appropriate authority, but with this protest now the authority will be aware that something like this is going on,” he said
Speaking, Mr Tewogbade Latona, the Communication Officer of NDE and YESSO Skills for Job Programme, said there was a delay in the payment due to technical issues which he said would soon be resolved.
Latona said they have informed headquarters and they have promised that the stipend would be paid before the week runs out.
“Actually, there was a delay in the payment of some beneficiaries. The programme is been driven in two centres. We took one at UNIOSUN where a total number of 612 participants from different local government took part in the training.
“That of Osun State Polytechnic , Iree , 722 participants were drawn from nine local government for the same programme. We don’t have problem as regards that of UNIOSUN as all 612 participants have been paid. They have received 2 months payments.
“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 is that they are working on it. They said we should appeal to these participants to be patient that as soon as possible the problem would be resolved”, he said.
