Imo govt drops N1m each on returnees from SA, MTN adds N100k

So the first batch of 258 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa landed in Lagos on Wednesday on Air Peace flight, and the support packages are already rolling in. Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State approved N1 million cash grant for every Imo indigene among the returnees, while MTN is giving N100,000 and N50,000 airtime with starter packs and phones to all of them.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NiDCOM chair, announced it at the airport — she said MTN will transfer the money directly to their accounts. The National Identification Management System was also there to help them get NIN numbers on the spot. The returnees have been through trauma from the xenophobic violence, but at least the government is stepping up with reintegration programmes.

This is the kind of thing that makes you think — if Nigeria can mobilise like this for people in crisis, why can't we fix the everyday problems that make people want to japa in the first place? N1 million per person is serious money o.