By Joe Adedeji, Ilorin.
A total number of 25,000 households in Kwara State benefited from the Federal Government’s conditional cash transfer initiative as palliatives to the pains of COVID-19 lockdown order by the government.
Each household got N20,000 from the Federal Government programme covering the months of January, February, March and April, 2020.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who launched the cash transfer in Ilorin said “this is to assist the poor in this time of global pandemic when our people are asked to stay at home to halt the spread of the virus. I commend the Federal Government for increasing the number of CCT beneficiaries in Kwara from 10,000 to 25,000.”
He commended the Federal Government for the gesture and specially thanked increasing thanked President Mohammadu Buhari as well as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
Governor AbdulRazaq also commended the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development “for their efforts in coordinating the actions at this crucial time”.
His words,; “This complements the measures taken by our administration in order to alleviate the consequences caused by the pandemic and the restriction of movement resulting from it.
He disclosed that at the moment, relief materials consisting mainly of food items were being distributed at the ward levels across the state by an independent committee comprising traditional rulers, religious leaders and community-based organizations.
“All of these measures clearly underscore government’s good faith and commitment to the welfare of the people, he admonished.
“But much more crucial is a need for all of us to be responsible and not endanger ourselves and others. Let us stay at home and maintain social distancing until it is safe to resume normal life.”
The governor who had not appeared in public appeared in public for about two weeks confimed that he had been in self isolation saying; “I proceeded into self isolation shortly after returning from the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja in full compliance with the safety protocols of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on COVID-19.
“Until now, I have remained in self-isolation shortly after returning from the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja on March 19.
This is in keeping faith with the COVID-19 Protocol that requires anyone with probable exposure to the virus, especially after travel to frontline areas, to either self-isolate for 14 days incubation period or get tested to know their status. AlihamduliLlah, I am fine as I have always been.”