COVID -19: Atiku demands palliative measures for Nigerians

 Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has advocated palliative measures to help Nigerians contain the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

He suggested transfer of between N5, 000 and N10, 000 from the last tranche of the recovered Abacha loot to about 38 million Nigerian bank users.

Stressing the fact that much of the Nigerian public have a subsistence existence, the politician said a large percentage of Nigerians do not have the financial capacity to withstand long periods of self- isolation.

He therefore, said it is incumbent on the federal and state governments to provide palliatives to the Nigerian people to enable them survive, even as they abide by the necessary measures put in place for their own safety. 

In a statement on Wednesday, the PDP presidential candidate said that “thus, as a patriotic duty, I suggest that the federal government make use of the latest tranche of the Abacha loot in making a transfer of between ₦5, 000 and ₦10, 000 to each of the 38.5 million bank accounts in Nigeria verified by the Bank Verification Number policy. 

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“In that way, heads of households all over the federation can buy foodstuff, water, medicines and other necessities for their dependents, and the effect can trickle down to benefit the national economy. 

“If these funds have not yet been released to Nigeria by the United States, then I suggest that the federal government immediately make a case to the US authorities for the immediate release of the funds on compassionate grounds, a request I know that President Donald Trump, being a humanitarian, will look kindly into.”

He also called on all mobile telephony companies in Nigeria to urgently develop mobile money platforms so that government can reach the unbanked with financial assistance. 

Atiku urged these telecommunications firms to offer each of the 100 million mobile phone lines in Nigeria free credit of at least ₦1, 500 per mobile line, so that Nigerians who show symptoms, or those who just want information can call the nearest available health facility, or even an ambulance service, as the case may be.

He called on the National Assembly to convene an emergency session, perhaps by teleconference (in the spirit of social distancing) to legislate a Stimulus Package Act that will cater for all Nigerian citizens, including the unbanked and those in the rural areas by ensuring that the coronavirus does not deepen extreme poverty in Nigeria.

This is as he applauded the various state governments that have proactively taken measures, such as issuing stay at home orders and shutting down markets, and other places of mass gatherings, while also giving guidelines for social distancing. 

Atiku commended all individuals and corporate organisations that have one way or the other provided some form of relief for the Nigerian people. 

“This is what makes Nigeria great, when we help each other at such crisis times as this, irrespective of any differences. I further call on more corporations and individuals with capacity, to assist the public in these trying times,” he pleaded.