Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has questioned the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to provide ₦100,000 weekly support to persons being monitored following exposure to Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case, warning that the arrangement could be abused if beneficiaries are not properly verified.
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TheNigeriaLawyer had earlier reported that the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed that 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed Ebola case in Abuja were being monitored, with financial support of ₦100,000 weekly intended to assist with food, accommodation and family needs during the 21-day monitoring period.
The number of identified primary contacts had increased from the 44 initially announced following the confirmation of the imported Ebola case.
Reacting in a post on his verified X account on Monday, Sani urged the NCDC to exercise caution in administering the allowance and ensure that only persons genuinely identified through official contact-tracing procedures benefit from the support.
According to the former lawmaker, the financial incentive could encourage some people to falsely present themselves as contacts of the Ebola patient in an attempt to receive the weekly payment.
“The NCDC said they will give 100k weekly to anyone they keep in isolation over the Ebola virus. They should be careful because some people can come forward and claim they have the virus because of the 100k,” Sani wrote.
His comment generated further reactions from Nigerians questioning the structure, funding and justification for the allowance.
Some questioned the identities and employment status of those being monitored, asking whether employers of affected persons could continue paying their salaries and supporting them during the 21-day monitoring period rather than placing the entire financial burden on the government.
Others argued that while financial support could be necessary to encourage compliance with isolation and monitoring requirements, there should be transparency surrounding the criteria for selecting beneficiaries and safeguards against abuse.
The size of the allowance also attracted criticism when compared with the income of low-paid workers.
A United States-based Nigerian lawyer questioned the disparity between the ₦100,000 weekly support and Nigeria’s ₦70,000 monthly national minimum wage.
“₦100,000 weekly, while civil servants go home with a minimum wage of just ₦70,000 monthly. What a funny administration! How can this be justified when ordinary workers are struggling to survive?” the lawyer said.
At ₦100,000 per week, an individual monitored for the full 21-day period could receive up to ₦300,000 if the allowance is paid for each of the three weeks, a figure that has further fuelled debate over the policy.
The criticism, however, comes against the public-health objective of ensuring that identified contacts comply with monitoring or isolation requirements without suffering serious financial hardship or being compelled to leave their designated locations in search of food, accommodation or income.
Sani did not oppose support for persons affected by the containment measures but stressed the need for careful verification to prevent individuals who were not genuinely exposed from exploiting the intervention.
His intervention comes as the NCDC continues contact tracing and monitoring efforts following Nigeria’s imported Ebola case, with health authorities seeking to identify anyone who may have been exposed and prevent further transmission.
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