As announced during our previous outings, the inclusion of people exercising certain trades who were impacted by the restrictive measures taken at the end of March by the Government of Benin to fight against the spread of Coronavirus, is effective. 
Since Wednesday evening, the majority of beneficiaries have started by receiving this subsidy via cash transfers on their mobile phones. This proves that it was not just a promise. It is a real commitment that the Government has made and fulfilled.

At the Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance, it is with great joy and satisfaction that we receive feedback from these beneficiaries. I would like to repeat the words of one of my collaborators who addressed me for this purpose by saying: "we fought hard, but morally, the troop is proud".

Proud because it was not easy to do the census. Very short deadline; and above all, strong suspicions because many were wondering, but why we were asked for IFU numbers; why we were asked to come back and check again. Why this? Why this ? 
The people must trust the government of the country. The Government is there to protect the population and find solutions to improve their living conditions and even more of all those who are vulnerable.

It is to make the platform more reliable and secure that all these verifications took place. And it was able to be validated by the way more than 80%. This means that it is tens of thousands of fellow citizens who have received the subsidies allocated, without distinction of partisan coloring or other considerations.

There are differences in the grants. They depend on three things: whether the activity is formal or not; the geographical location of the activity (does the person work in large cities or not) and also what was declared in terms of loss of income during the period of implementation of these restrictive measures.

Now is the time to encourage all those who operate in the informal sector to formalize. At least have an IFU number. It is not for tax hitting. No. To benefit from the social measures of the State, it is necessary to make oneself known.

How can we know that such a person really exists and carries on an activity in a specific sector if there is no credible trace? We must go towards formalization to better take advantage of the social measures of the Government.

Benin today makes a difference in terms of supporting the victims of the restrictive measures taken against the spread of Coronavirus taken by the Government.

And it is to the assets of the Head of State, President Patrice TALON who has a vision of the specific social, the structured social. 
This is why he did not want us to distribute small imaginary amounts to people. He asked that it be structured and that substantial subsidies be allocated so that the beneficiaries can genuinely benefit from it and restart their activities.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize and salute the sacrifice made by the agents of the Centers for Social Promotion (CPS) to help our compatriots to register online and to fulfill all the formalities required to benefit from these subsidies.  

I would like to invite all the happy beneficiaries to a rational and efficient use of the funds received. I also invite them to strictly respect the measures to combat the spread of Coronavirus, namely: the permanent wearing of protective masks; frequent hand washing with soap and water; social distancing; crowding out large groups etc ... to stay in good health in order to really benefit from these subsidies and make the economy grow. 
Thank you.  

Cotonou, July 09, 2020.