Nigerians Demand COVID-19 Relief Through BVNs

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

Many Nigerians have taken to the microblogging platform, Twitter, to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to pay them via the Bank Verification Number for the relief fund to cushion the effect of the economic situation occasioned by the Coronavirus lockdown.

Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast, on Monday renewed the 14-day lockdown on the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States that was first imposed on March 29 in a bid to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

State Governors, in turn, have ordered partial or total lockdown in their states to curtail the virus. The development that has hampered economic activities among many Nigerians.

In a bid to provide relief funds to the poor, the Federal Government commenced the conditional cash transfer scheme in which the sum of N20,000 was distributed to certain persons.

The physical payment method has received harsh criticism from Nigerians including the National Assembly.

Many Twitter users have demanded that the Federal Government should make payments via the BVNs, instead of the physical payment method.

Some argued that it is the responsibility of a responsible government to provide basic needs of her citizens during this period, citing what governments in other nations are doing for their citizens in form of palliative measures.

@Yemihazan tweeted: “Many have families to feed and many they depend on, if you must extend the lockdown make use of the BVN to aid survival. @MBuhari #payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN#payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN.”

@EgwuRita tweeted: “Over 80million American’s to get paid b4 Wednesday. Log into d designated website, input ur details & get ur relief package (in form of cash)

But here in Nig, we only hear abt billions distributed 2 invisible millions of households

Fed Govt! Every1 needs help now!

#payusviaBVN.”

@OfficiaLifyarts tweeted: “Most of us are hustlers, hustlers don’t stay indoors for a whole month for we to actually have food to eat. If you want to lock us down why not provide food for us or Credit our accounts #payusviaBVN.”

@Joshua_ubeki tweeted: “We no longer have money. We no longer have food. We can’t be at home and eat nothing. Pay us via BVN or else hunger will kill us before coronavirus! @MBuhari  #payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN #payusviaBVN.”

@drpenking tweeted:  “You think Buhari’s government does not know that paying via bvn is the easiest and most transparent way they can pay us? They know. Their only problem is that with this method, adequate accounts can be kept about their expenses and they won’t be able to steal much.  #payusviaBVN.”

@OtunbaCoff tweeted: “I’ve never seen a government more fraudulent and shameless as the FG of Nigeria.

How can you lockdown 3 states and be sharing money in states that aren’t on lockdown?

Why embezzle at every chance y’all get???

Nigerians are having hard times for crying out loud!#payusviaBVN.”

@Phalom_O tweeted: “Every family of four in the US receives $1200 as Covid 19 relief fund

Canada pays $2000 to every family to cater for emergency bills and food

All we’re asking from the FG is at least 20k to be paid into our account via BVN.

STOP THE AUDIO GIVEAWAY AND #payusviaBVN.”

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