On 8K palliative, By Kayode Oyedeji

Four years ago, we were home at Ilesa for Christmas. The practice is that arrangement would be made for a caterer that will handle cooking all through our one week stay.

The caterer, a lady, stayed with us for seven days and seven nights, practically pounding yam every day.

When it was time for her to leave she gave us her bill, asking for just a token! The amount was lower than N8,000. It would be a sin to give her such a peanut for her labour, effort, especially at such festive periods.

A reasonable amount was added. She went on her knees, almost rolling on floor.

N8K meant a whole lot to her.

I don’t really fancy the idea of cash transfer. It is prone to abuse. And in the absence of reliable data and good mapping, the stipend may get into wrong hands.

The best mitigant is good governance, accountability. Ensuring that every Kobo saved from subsidy removal and earned form every source is judiciously spent.

I will rather want the money to be used to provide basic infrastructure and services

But most of those condemning the idea of cash transfer are only being honest by half. Merely playing politics.

It is a good way to reflate the economy and provide succour to the most vulnerable of the society – poorest of the poor. It is certainly not meant for those living above the extreme poverty mark.

Cash transfer is just one of the many mitigating measures under consideration. There is a whole lot of measures and programmes being proposed including government facilitating the cultivation of about 500,000 hectares of land, enhancing subsidy on agriculture, collaborating with States for accelerated rural development, introducing some forms of tax relief and introduction of a new minimum wage among others.

N8,000 every month is not big, but certainly not a waste if it truly reaches the extremely poor, the very vulnerable. It is not intended for those who can afford data purchase for social media. Not even a scheme to make people rich. It ls not even intended to be used to buy fuel.

The major mitigating factor is to provide good governance, eliminate corruption and rescue as many people as possible from poverty. Nigerians must insist that savings from subsidy, Naira devaluation and other sources are put into good use and not wasted on frivous spendings and to maintain political offices at the three different tiers of Government.

-Oyedeji, an Economist writes from Lagos