Coronavirus: Federal Goverment Stops Cash Transfer In 4 States

Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs has ordered the termination of the contract of two Payment Service Providers (PSPs).

According to information gathered, the service providers were sanctioned for failing to meet the contractual agreement to commence Conditional Cash Transfer to beneficiaries in four states of the federation assigned to the two PSPs.

The further report revealed that the affected states are Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom, Abia and Zamfara state.

The development is coming following the new procurement process launched using World Bank procurement guidelines to ensure that payments commence in the affected states on or before April 28, 2020.

The minister’s order was contained in a statement on Tuesday by her Special Adviser on Media, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta.

Farouq in the statement noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government cannot accept delays in the current payment of N20,000 stipends to beneficiaries in poor and vulnerable households

“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 Conditional cash transfers to the poor and the vulnerable,” it added.