TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, to expand the social register by one million households within two weeks.

This would mean that the social register would be expanded from 2.6 million homes to 3.6 million.

Addressing the nation in a broadcast on Monday, the president said previous palliatives announced to ease the pain of the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja would be sustained.

The president also said a committee has been set up to develop a policy to help the economy adapt to the new reality.

“To ensure our economy adapts to this new reality, I am directing the ministers of industry, trade and investment, communication and digital economy, science and technology, transportation, aviation, interior, health, works and housing, labour and employment and education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a ‘Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19’.

“The ministers will be supported by the presidential economic advisory council and economic sustainability committee in executing this mandate.

“I am also directing the minister of agriculture and rural development, the national security adviser, the vice-chairman, national food security council and the chairman, presidential fertiliser initiative to work with the presidential task force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized.”

According to Sadiya Umar Farouq, the humanitarian minister, the conditional cash transfer has paid 148,176 beneficiaries in 22 states as of April 8, 2020.