Nigerian govt sacks 2 Payment Firms over delay in N20,000 COVID-19 Conditional Cash Transfer

Two payment service providers have been sacked by the Federal Government for delaying the processing of the N20,000 the government approved as palliatives for the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in the country.

The companies, Data Mining Company and Innovative NIPOST were said to have failed to meet up with contractual agreements to start the conditional cash transfer to those who are beneficiaries in four states.

This was disclosed in a statement signed on behalf of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, by her Special Assistant on Media, Salisu Dambatta, adding that the termination, which she said was with immediate effect, was in line with the World Bank procurement guidelines to ensure that payments commenced in the affected states on or before April 28.

The states affected are Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia and Zamfara.

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“The Federal Government cannot accept delays in the current payment round of N20,000 stipends to beneficiaries in poor and vulnerable households under any excuse in the four states or any other state of the federation.

“The failure of any payment service providers to meet their contractual agreement is unacceptable.

“The Federal Government through the Ministry cannot allow contractors to derail the immediate CCT to the poor and the vulnerable,” the statement said.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had in his March 30 nationwide broadcast, directed the ministry to embark on the paryment of the N20,000 conditional cash transfer to poor households and the most vulnerable in the country to help them cope with the effects of disruptions occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The list of eligible beneficiaries is said to be 2.6 million. The President, however, in his broadcast on Monday, 13th April, directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to expand the list to 3.6 million households.

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