Former governor of Lagos, and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has advised the Federal Government on the best means to pay Nigerian cash palliatives amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Tinubu said to cushion the effect of the lockdown, the government should make payment through Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).
In a statement personally signed by him, Mr Tinubu said BVN would also be safer and prevent violence and crime that may be the attendant consequence of physical cash transfers.
“Most families need relief. If relief is not forthcoming, these families risk hunger and its attendant suffering and woes.”“First, we can designate a stipend for every household. The amount should be enough to pay for the monthly needs of an ‘average’ household for food and other basics”.“While this may somewhat penalise larger families, perfection cannot be had at this time.
“Second, the stipends could be given as a form of emergency unemployment insurance to those who can prove they were relieved of employment due to the crisis.
“This will be more targeted at the actual victims of the crisis but harder to administer. This stipend will also have to be extended to owners of small and medium-sized businesses.
“Third, the government can render some form of payroll support to companies and businesses that seek to retain workers albeit they may not be fully employed.
“The stipend can help companies stay in operation while maintaining workers on their payroll. By maintaining workers, the company can more swiftly return to full operation when normalcy returns.”
Mr Tinubu said the school feeding programme to many states should be applicable to public health measures “because it will not only help feed the most vulnerable children, it will create extra jobs and bolster food production and farm incomes.”
