Coronavirus: FG is paying N20,000 to 5,000 Abuja households — Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Farouq

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq has disclosed that the Nigerian government is paying N20,000 each to 5,000 households in the Federal Capital Territory, to help them cope with the difficulties the Coronavirus pandemic might bring.

Sadiya who disclosed that the initiative was under the ministry’s Conditional Cash Transfer programme, added that the N20,000 given to each of the beneficiaries covered a period of four months and was in line with President Buhari’s directive. She revealed that beneficiaries are entitled to N5,000 every month.

The Minister who addressed newsmen after disbursing money to some households in Kwali area council of Abuja, said over one million Nigerians located in 34 states will be benefitting from the initiative.

Sadiya said;

“The CCT is for poor and vulnerable households in the country. Beneficiaries are entitled to N5,000 every month.

“Today’s payment of N20,000 to each beneficiary is for four mouths. It is going to happen all over the country, but we are starting with FCT, Lagos and Ogun. These are the frontline states. Other states will follow.

“With the current pandemic and circumstances on ground, this amount will go a long way to support the families in their daily lives.

“Today, we are giving out N20,000 each to about 190 beneficiaries in Kwali Area Council. The total number of beneficiaries in FCT is 5,000.”

The programme’s spokesperson, Mr Ayede added;

“The federal government has not paid the beneficiaries from January till March, but following the president’s order on Sunday, the ministry decided to pay in April in view of the lockdown directives.”