No fewer than five states of the federation, including Lagos, Delta, Borno, Ogun, and Ebonyi were conspicuously excluded from the list of states currently benefiting from the federal government’s N20, 000 conditional cash transfer scheme to the poorest and most vulnerable households in the country to cushion the hardship posed by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. The cash transfer scheme, which is part of the Social Investment Program (SIP) of the Buhari administration, is under the newly-created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and being superintended by the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq.
Data obtained from the Abuja-based National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO) info-graphics created on April 11, 2020 and made public by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) showed that, of the 36 states of the federation, 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are benefiting from the scheme, while five states including Lagos, Delta, Ebonyi, Ogun and Borno were left out.
According to the data, 133, 227 households benefitted in Katsina; 130, 764 in Zamfara; 99, 044 in Jigawa; 84,148 in Kano; 78, 434 in Plateau and 76,026 benefitted in Kebbi. Others are Kogi, 62, 129; Benue, 58, 943; Nasarawa, 48, 687; and Kaduna, 35, 384; Kwara, 33, 218; Gombe, 26, 532; Akwa Ibom, 24,929; Yobe, 24, 814; Bauchi, 23, 305; and the FCT, 20, 129. Also benefiting are Niger, 19, 898; Taraba, 17, 803; Adamawa, 16, 988; Osun, 15, 527; Oyo, 13, 811; Cross River, 11, 998; Edo, 11, 368; Bayelsa, 9, 805; Rivers State, 9, 596; Abia, 9, 347; Anambra, 8, 105; Imo, 7, 220; Ekiti, 4, 709; Ondo, 3, 812; Enugu, 3, 305; and Sokoto, 3, 165.
The data also showed that as of April 9, 2020, a total of 1, 126, 211 households were currently benefitting from the conditional cash transfer of the federal government. However, the reason for the exclusion of the five states in the cash transfer scheme is not yet known.
Farouq had approved the immediate termination of the contract of two Payment Service Providers (PSPs) following their inability to meet the contractual agreement to commence Conditional Cash Transfer to beneficiaries in four states of the federation. The affected states are: Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Zamfara. Farouq also added that the federal government cannot accept delays in the current payment round of N20,000 stipends to beneficiaries in poor and vulnerable households under any excuses in the four states or any other states of the federation.
The data also revealed discrepancies in the cash transfer scheme, with the Northwest zone getting the Lion’s share. This led the publicity secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin saying the states being totally locked down received nothing; warning, the country could not continue this way.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has introduced a scheme to cushion the effect of the lockdown on on its residents. The new palliatives were rolled announced less than 24 hours after President Buhari extended restriction of movement in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The scheme came on the heels of the commencement of the second part of Food Stimulus Packages being distributed to 250,000 residents since the lockdown directive came into effect.
Besides, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has advised the federal, state and local authorities to create feeding centres urgently in order to cushion the effect of the extension of COVID-19 lockdown. It said this followed its discontent with the handling of relief materials meant for poor Nigerians, noting that the extension was the best option, especially with the new revelation that index cases had increased. MURIC’s Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement said, “Government at all levels should device means of making the diversion of palliatives cumbersome, unprofitable and unnecessary.
Meanwhile, the Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of dividing Nigeria along ethnic lines amid the coronavirus disease. BZF leader, Benjamin Onwuka, yesterday said at a time when countries of the world were united in seeking solutions to the pandemic and cushioning the effects of lockdown on their citizens, the Buhari government was politicising distribution of palliatives.
His words: “It is now clear that the Buhari-led government has recognised us a people who are no longer part of Nigeria. This is manifest in the way the South East people are being excluded in welfare schemes.
“First, it was the $22.7b loan, which made provisions for other geopolitical zones, except the South East. As if that was not enough, the South East has been schemed out of the COVID-19 palliatives. They are sharing money to their cronies in the North, neglecting those in the South East.”
