In order to curtail the excessive unemployment rate in Finland, the government has embarked on a unique social experiment of paying unemployed citizens a basic monthly income, amounting to 560 euros ($587 or N184,000).
The move is to boost employment, cut government red tape and reduce poverty.
According to a report by AFP, Olli Kangas from the Finnish government agency KELA, which is responsible for the country’s social benefits, said Monday that the two-year trial with the 2,000 randomly picked citizens who receive unemployment benefits kicked off Jan. 1.
Those chosen will receive 560 euros every month, with no reporting requirements on how they spend it. The amount will be deducted from any benefits they already receive.
The average private sector income in Finland is 3,500 euros per month, according to official data. Kangas said the scheme’s idea is to abolish the
“disincentive problem” among the unemployed.
The trial aims to discourage people’s fears “of losing out something”, he said, adding that the selected persons would continue to receive the 560 euros even after receiving a job.
However, it is a different case for people living in Nigeria as the government has through its N-power scheme recruited about 200,000 university graduates who are likely to work for over 150 hours and paid a paltry N30,000 ($100).
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Laolu Akande disclosed that Federal Government has commenced the payment of the N30, 000 monthly stipends for beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme. He made the revelation in Abuja on Friday, Laolu disclosed that some of the beneficiaries would start receiving their stipends before the year is over.
According to the.media aide of the Vice President, “All successfully verified beneficiaries who have provided bank accounts are being processed for payment.’’
Many who praised the government for the initiate however condemned the paltry sum being given to graduates as discouraging because it would be of little or not help in this harsh economic times when prices of goods and services have skyrocketed.
Some have argued that if the government wants the best from these new recruits, they must be well remunerated in order to perform optimally and placed on a better salary scale.
