From Victor Osula, Abuja
Against the backdrop of the failed past policy on cash transfer and critical reviews and doubts expressed by the public over the revival of the same policy by the federal government, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered an immediate review of the proposed N8,000 cash transfer palliative to poor and vulnerable Nigerians to cushion the pains of the removal of payment of subsidy on petrol.
The President, in a statement issued on Tuesday, by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, also directed that the whole plans of the palliative package of the Federal Government be unveiled to Nigerians
President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the N500 billion approved by parliament will get to the beneficiaries irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliation.
“In the last few days, the conventional and new media platforms have become awash with stories of the government intending to embark on conditional cash transfer to vulnerable households mostly affected by the painful but necessary decision to remove subsidy from petrol, said Alake, adding that
“The story has been widely reported that the Federal Government is proposing to give 12 million households from the poorest of the poor N8,000 monthly for a period of six months as government palliative to reduce the discomfort being experienced by Nigerians consequent upon subsidy removal.
“A lot of ill-informed imputations have been read into the programme by not a few naysayers. The Administration believes in the maxim that when there is prohibition, there must be provision.
“Since subsidy, the hydra-headed monster threatening to kill the economy, has been stopped, the government has emplaced a broad spectrum of reliefs to bring help to Nigerians.
“While it should be noted that cash programme is not the only item in the whole gamut of relief package of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as a listening leader, who has vowed to always put Nigerians at the heart of his policy and programme, the President has directed as follows:-
“That the N8,000 conditional cash transfer programme envisaged to bring succour to most vulnerable households be reviewed immediately. This is in deference to the views expressed by Nigerians against it.
“That the whole gamut of palliative package of government be unveiled to Nigerians.
“Immediate release of fertilisers and grains to approximately 50 million farmers and households respectively in all the 36 states and the FCT.
“The President further assures Nigerians that the N500 billion approved by parliament to cushion the pain occasioned by the end of subsidy regime will be judiciously utilised.
“The beneficiaries of the reliefs shall be Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliation,” he said.
Alake further said that President Tinubu has promised to always prioritise the wellbeing of Nigerians and he is irrevocably committed to the vow.
According to him, a number of decisions taken so far by this Administration have buttressed this stance.
“I wish to assure Nigerians that President Tinubu will continue to be a listening leader whose ears will not be dull to the views expressed by the citizenry.
“The President believes the government exists to cater for the interest of the people and he has demonstrated this so clearly,” he added
