The National Coordinator, Concerned Advocates for Good Governance, CAGG, Barrister Olusegun Bamgbose, Esq, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for heeding his advice to give an emergency economic package to the jobless.
President Buhari had on Sunday, during his nationwide broadcast announced the immediate fund transfer to vulnerable homes in the country.
This came after Barrister Bamgbose and other well-meaning Nigerians had advised the President to take a quick action in rescuing the very poor from the scotch of hunger following the lockdown of major cities in the country.
Reacting to Buhari’s response in a chat with DAILY POST on Tuesday, Bamgbose, a Lagos-based senior lawyer, said, “This is obviously a time when Nigerians will expect more from the government, in respect of the economic effects of the meltdown as a result of the prevalent COVID-19.
“One cannot but commend and applaud President Buhari in being proactive in cushioning the effect of the dreaded virus.
“The Conditional Cash Transfer is a welcome development. It will go a long way to help ameliorate and mitigate the hardship to be experienced by Nigerians in view of the lockdown. This is commendable.
“It should be recalled that I had earlier on advised the government to earmark N250b as emergency economic package for the jobless.
“This has shown that the Government is responsive and responsible. However, one will advise that the dispensing of the cash transfer should be just and equitable.
“The use of BVN as announced is a great idea but there are some in the villages who don’t even have bank account. The government should devise a way to reach them.
“In addition to the cash transfer, one will advise that the Federal and State Government should create food subsidy centres especially in Lagos State, Ogun State, Abia State and Abuja. The Government should make provisions for food subsidy.
“This can be done through the local government. Basic foodstuff should be made available at subsidized rate.
“This will go a long way to help alleviate hardship. The government should equally encourage Nigerians to engage in farming as we wait to see the end of the virus. Together we shall surely defeat COVID-19.”
