The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demands that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should immediately open an arrangement with commercial banks for the suspension of charges for use of ATM cards and low amount mobile fund transfers as part of the panacea to ease the burden of poor Nigerians during the COVID-19 lockdown. The party notes that the lockdown has subjected majority of Nigerians to extensive use of ATM and mobile transfers for survival, making the suspension of charges on minimal transactions within this period of restriction highly imperative.
It added that the lifting of the charges within the period of this pandemic will ease the burden on cash withdrawals by our vulnerable citizens as well as encourage more Nigerians to support one another at this critical time.
April 19, 2020 Press StatementCOVID-19: PDP Demands Suspension of ATM, Mobile Transfer, Electricity Charges…Insists On Accountability on Donations, Palliative Funds..
The PDP also demands the CBN to immediately liaise with commercial banks and stimulate a special social sustenance modality to defray the cost of such charges, particularly to cover minimal transactions in favour of vulnerable Nigerians.Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the federal government says Nigerians with more than N5,000 in their bank accounts will not benefit from the palliatives being planned to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown extension.The minister of humanitarian affairs and disaster management, Sadiya Farouq, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, April 15, The Nation reports.Explaining the modalities for the disbursement of the package, the minister said the focus will be on the urban poor in the implementation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive.