Buhari plans more palliatives for poor
By Tanko Mohammed
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million to 3.6 million households in the 14-day extended lockdown to give adequate palliative during COVID-19 pandemic.
In an address to the Nation broadcast, the Nigerian leader said more vulnerable people would be provided with sustainable assistance to help them bear the pains of the lockdown by another two weeks, starting Monday 11:59pm
“In the past two weeks, we announced palliative measures such as food distribution, cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of our restrictive policies during this difficult time. These palliatives will be sustained.”
These measures will help support an additional one million homes with the nation’s social investment programs and that a technical committee was working on it and would submit a report by the end of this week.
“No country can afford the full impact of a sustained restriction of movement on its economy. I am fully aware of the great difficulties experienced especially by those who earn a daily wage such as traders, day-workers, artisans and manual workers.
“For this group, their sustenance depends on their ability to go out. Their livelihoods depend on them mingling with others and about seeking work,” he said.
In this respect, President Buhari said a joint comprehensive policy is in the pipeline to build a sustainable economy despite the pandemic.
“To ensure our economy adapts to this new reality, I am directing the ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment, Communication and Digital Economy, Science and Technology, Transportation, Aviation, Interior, Health, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment and Education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a Nigerian economy functioning with Covid-19”.
“The ministers will be supported by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Economic Sustainability Committee in executing this mandate.
“I am also directing the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice-Chairman, National Food Security Council and the Chairman, Presidential Fertilizer Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized.”