A WhatsApp post is circulating online with a claim that the Nigerian government has directed members of the public to register on a particular website to access ₦8,000 as monthly palliative it promised the populace in July, 2023.
The post is going viral following the hardship Nigerians are facing over rising cost of living and inflation in the country.
The post, retrieved from a WhatsApp group, read:
The President has approved the payment of ₦8,000 to 12 million families over a period of six months to help cushion the economic hardship being faced by all Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy.
The President said:-This would have a multiplier effect on about 60 million individuals and the money will enable poor and vulnerable Nigerians cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.
Eligiblity:
-All Nigerian Citizens can apply for the ₦8,000 Monthly Palliative digital transfers
-Application has began and citizens that have applied have started recieving their ₦8,000 payments_
-ONLY NIGERIAN CITIZENS CAN APPLY
APPLY HERE:
https://have-it.click/Monthly-Palliative
It will be recalled that the Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had on July 13, 2023 promised to transfer the sum of ₦8,000 monthly to 12 million poor and low-income households for six months. The news was reported by several credible media platforms in the country such as The Cable, Channels TV, and Premium Times among others etc.
CLAIM
Nigerians can apply for the ₦8,000 monthly palliative digital transfers.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by this reporter show that the claim is FALSE.
This reporter observed that the website shared alongside the post has features synonymous with multiple phishing websites earlier debunked by The FactCheckHub on similar palliative supports, as seen here, here and here.
News reports indicated that the organised labour and some economists had in July faulted the plan by the Federal Government to transfer ₦8,000 into the accounts of 12 million vulnerable and poor Nigerians over the next six months to cushion the effects of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol.
Consequently, President Tinubu bowed to pressure few days after and ordered the review of the ₦8,000 palliative, Channels TV reported.
On October 1, 2023, the Nigerian Presidency announced the disbursement of ₦35,000 provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal workers for six months.
Media reports show that workers had only received a one-month payment that was meant for September, adding that only a few workers had been paid for the second time since the announcement.
In conclusion, aside the ₦35,000 approved by President Tinubu for federal workers, there is no ₦8,000 monthly for all Nigerians as palliative.
THE VERDICT
The claim that Nigerians can apply for the ₦8,000 monthly palliative digital transfers is FALSE; as the Nigerian government has reviewed its palliative programmes for Nigerians and later announced the disbursement of ₦35,000 provisional wage award for federal workers.
* This fact-check was written by Muhammad Saminu Muhammad, a fellow of the ICIR’s Countering Misinformation and Promoting Media Literacy project, supported by the German Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria.
