COVID-19: Palliatives not for Nigerians with over N5,000 bank balance – FG

The federal government says Nigerians with more than N5,000 in their bank accounts will not benefit from the palliatives being planned to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown extension.

The minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Sadiya Farouq, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, April 15, The Nation reports.

Explaining the modalities for the disbursement of the package, the minister said the focus will be on the urban poor in the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.

Ms Farouq said in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to expand the beneficiaries, the ministry is now focusing on the urban poor.

The minister said the beneficiaries are the Nigerians who earn daily wages and the people with disabilities.

Ms Farouq said the ministry is exploring three options to pick the beneficiaries: These include the national social register, the verified BVN accounts and mobile networks.

She added that the people that have an account balance of N5, 000 and below will be the beneficiaries.

On the use of the mobile network, the minister said the beneficiaries may be people that top up the credit units for their phones with N100 or less.