Chad’s President Idriss Deby, in an address to the Nation Wednesday evening, pledged, as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, to provide social and economic assistance to the populations and other economic operators to enable them to cope with the crisis.
President Deby declared that for economic and social support, the government deveelopped a Response Plan to the tune of 943 billion CFA francs, of which more than 200 billion can be immediately mobilized within the framework of the restructuring of the State budget.
For an immediate solution, the government is strengthening the stocks of the National Food Security Office (ONASA), with a minimum amount of 25 billion CFA francs. A first disbursement of five billion CFA francs is made available by the Treasury to allow the first orders of foodstuffs to be launched.
A National Solidarity and Support Fund of 100 billion CFA francs for vulnerable populations will be set up, making it possible to widen and strengthen the social safety nets throughout the territory so as to cover other provinces not taken into account by projects and programs in progress.
President Idriss Deby also ordered the immediate payment of the death benefits due to deceased civil and military agents, indemnities and ancillary wages owed to pensioners, and the payment for medical expenses of civil agents, as well as security and defense forces for a total amount of five billion CFA francs.
Support for water and electricity bills is also decided for six months in favor of consumers and the completion of the establishment of the Youth Entrepreneurship Fund, in agreement with Chadian banks, for an amount of 30 billion CFA francs.
The government has decided to reduce by 50 percent, the contribution under the patent for the benefit of all taxable persons and contributions under the General Liberal Tax (IGL) across the country, for the year 2020. It has also been decided to suspend all ad hoc tax audits and all general accounting checks for three months.
In the immediate future, 1,638 health workers whose administrative procedure was pending before the Civil Service will be recruited..
AHD/te/abj/APA