Subsidy: Tinubu stops proposed N8,000 cash transfer palliative

President Bola Tinubu has suspended his plan to give cash transfers of N8,000 to 12 million poor households for a period of six months as a government palliative to lessen the effects of the nation’s recent removal of the fuel subsidy due to widespread opposition.

Many Nigerians opposed the proposal, arguing that it was pointless and a waste of money because the funds were insufficient to have any real impact and there was no accountability to ensure the poorest households would be reached.

Tinubu ordered that the proposal be “reviewed” after Nigerians rejected the policy, according to a statement made by his spokesman Dele Alake on Tuesday night.

Even though the Tinubu administration adheres to the dictum that “when there is prohibition, there must be provision,” Alake claimed that “a lot of ill-informed imputations have been read into the programme by not a few naysayers.”

Accordingly, Alake declared that Tinubu had commanded that “the N8,000 conditional cash transfer programd envisaged to bring succour to most vulnerable households be reviewed immediately.” This is done in respect for the opposition that Nigerians have voiced.

“That Nigerians be given full access to the government’s comprehensive palliative package.”

His complete quote is as follows: “You will concur with me that it has become part of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s culture to constantly dialogue with Nigerians who voted him into office.

“The President made a promise to Nigerians that their security and welfare would be the top priorities of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The government intends to start conditional cash transfers to vulnerable households, most of which will be impacted by the difficult but necessary decision to remove petrol subsidy, according to reports that have been flooding traditional and new media platforms over the past few days.

According to widely circulated reports, the Federal Government is planning to provide N8,000 per month for six months to 12 million of the poorest of the poorest households as a government palliative to ease the discomfort that Nigerians are feeling as a result of the removal of subsidies.

Not a few detractors have interpreted the programme in ways that are inaccurate. When there is a prohibition, there must also be a provision, according to administration theory.

“The government has put in place a wide range of reliefs to help Nigerians ever since subsidy, the hydra-headed monster threatening to kill the economy, was stopped.

Although it should be noted that the cash programme is not the only component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s comprehensive relief package, in his capacity as a listening leader who has sworn to always put Nigerians at the centre of his policy and programme, the President has directed as follows:-

that a quick review be done of the N8,000 conditional cash transfer programme designed to help the most vulnerable households. This is done in respect for the opposition that Nigerians have voiced.
Nigerians should be given access to the full scope of the government’s palliative package.
immediate distribution of grains and fertilisers to all 36 states and the FCT’s 50 million farmers and households, respectively.In addition, the President assures Nigerians that the N500 billion approved by parliament to ease the suffering brought on by the end of the subsidy regime will be wisely used. No matter their ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation, Nigerians will be the recipients of the reliefs.

“President Bola Tinubu has made a commitment to always put the welfare of Nigerians first, and he is unwavering in that commitment. This position has been supported by a number of the administration’s decisions so far.

You’ll recall that the President made a similar choice in response to complaints from the business community and other stakeholders about onerous taxes, particularly the multiplicity of taxes they must pay. As a result, four (4) Executive Orders were issued, cancelling some tax classes and delaying the implementation of others.

A Tax Reform/Fiscal Policy Committee has also been established by the President in order to develop recommendations that will foster a stable fiscal environment for the nation and remove barriers to business.

“I want to reassure Nigerians that President Tinubu will continue to be a listening leader who will pay attention to what the populace has to say. President Trump has made it abundantly clear that he believes that the purpose of government is to serve the needs of the people.