Give Nigerians N20,000 each – Mimiko tells Buhari

Olusegun Mimiko, former Ondo State Governor, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari government to give Nigerians N20,000 each.

He said this would cushion the economic effect of coronavirus.

Mimiko, in a statement on Tuesday, said BVN data with banks should be used to make the transfers.

He noted that the stay-at-home would affect up to 40 percent of Nigeria’s adult population who earn their living on a daily basis.

Mimiko stated: “We are quick to complain of lack of data, but we have BVN. I’m told we have 40million BVN accounts.

“Adopting a benchmark of annual turnover of N360,000 and assuming that up to 50 percent, i.e. 20million qualify for palliative, say N20,000 each, that will amount to just about N40billion”.

Mimiko who said the President’s recent address ‘should give added momentum to the combat against the killer virus”.

He counseled that Nigeria, while trying to procure more of this life-saving gadget, should “start mobilizing massively for manual ventilators and start training paramedics who may be called to use them as instruments of last resort in emergency.”

Mimiko added that local companies like Innoson Motors, though may face challenges trying to produce modern type mechanical ventilators, could produce any type of manual ventilators quickly as would other similar or related local industries, if challenged.

“Simultaneously, we must start mobilizing our local capacity and start building oxygen plants for what may turn out to be an astronomical demand”

The former Governor stressed that social distancing is a major way to stop further spread of the virus.

He commended health workers and government agencies for their efforts at saving lives.