Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has cautioned the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention against possible abuse of its plan to pay people monitored for Ebola exposure N100,000 weekly.
Sani raised the concern on Monday in a post on his verified X account, warning that the financial incentive could encourage people to falsely claim they had been exposed to the virus to qualify for the payment.
The former lawmaker was reacting to an announcement by the NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, that 53 people identified as contacts of a confirmed Ebola case in Abuja would receive the allowance during a 21-day monitoring period.
According to the agency, the money is intended to support recipients with feeding, accommodation and family-related expenses while they remain under monitoring.
However, Sani urged the disease control agency to establish effective verification measures to ensure that only genuine contacts benefit from the intervention.
He warned that without proper checks, some people might exploit the arrangement for financial gain, potentially putting additional pressure on funds meant for the public health response.
The NCDC is currently monitoring 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case, including healthcare workers and members of the affected person's household.
The development comes as health authorities continue efforts to trace contacts and limit the potential spread of the Ebola virus.
