We will support additional one million homes – Buhari

 

BY OUR EDITOR

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday promised that the Federal Government will support additional one million households by providing palliatives to soothe the harsh economic effect on them, occasioned by the fight against the global pandemic, coronavirus.

Consequently, Buhari while announcing the extension of lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and Abuja by another 14 days to enable the country consolidate on the gains of the initial two weeks shutdown, said he had directed that one million households be added to the Social Register which currently holds “2.6 million households.”

The president said he was mindful of the fact that there are citizens who earn daily wage and as such are not able to carry on their daily activities as a result of the restriction in movement.

“No country can afford the full impact of a sustained restriction of movement on its economy. I am fully aware of the great difficulties experienced especially by those who earn a daily wage such as traders, day workers, artisans and manual workers.

READ: Buhari extends Lagos, Ogun, Abuja lockdown by 14 days

“For this group, their sustenance depends on their ability to go out. Their livelihoods depend on them mingling with others and about seeking work. But despite these realities we must not change the restrictions.

“In the past two weeks, we announced palliative measures such as food distribution, cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of our restrictive policies during this difficult time. These palliatives will be sustained,” the president announced.

He added: “I have also directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks.

“This means we will support an additional one million homes with our social investment programme. A technical committee is working on this and will submit a report to me by the end of this week.”