Tinubu bows to pressure, orders review of N8,000 cash transfer

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the N8,000 conditional cash transfer programme envisaged to bring succor to most vulnerable households be reviewed immediately.

Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, in a statement on Tuesday said the directive was in deference to the views expressed by Nigerians against it.

Nigerians have been very critical of the scheme, describing the amount as too insignificant.

Alake said the President also directed that the whole gamut of palliative package of government be unveiled to Nigerians as the cash programme was not the only item in his relief package.

Alake added that President further directed immediate release of fertilizers and grains to approximately 50 million farmers and households respectively in all the 36 states and the FCT as a listening leader who had vowed to always put Nigerians at the heart of his policy and programme.

He said President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the N500 billion approved by parliament to cushion the pain occasioned by the end of subsidy regime would be judiciously utilised, stressing that the beneficiaries of the reliefs shall be Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic, religious or political affiliation.

The presidential spokesman said the President had promised to always prioritize the wellbeing of Nigerians and he was irrevocably committed to the vow, adding a number of decisions taken so far by this administration had buttressed this stance.

“You will agree with me that it has become part of the culture of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to constantly dialogue with Nigerians who voted him into office. The President covenanted with Nigerians that their welfare and security will be topmost in the Renewed Hope Agenda of his government.

“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.

“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, government has emplaced a broad spectrum of reliefs to bring help to Nigerians.

“You will recall that the President took a similar decision after listening to complaints from the business community/stakeholders about burdensome taxes, particularly multiplicity of taxes they are made to experience. This warranted the signing of four (4) Executive Orders cancelling some classes of taxes, while suspending the implementation dates of others.

“In addition, the President has also set up a Tax Reform/Fiscal Policy Committee to bring up recommendations that will engender a wholesome fiscal environment for the country and remove anti-business barriers.

“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 government exists to cater for the interest of the people and he has demonstrated this so clearly,” the statement titled ‘Review of N8,000 Cash Transfer’ read partly.”

(Daily Trust)