Egypt’s irregular workers to start cashing out LE 500 monthly allowance amid COVID-19 outbreak

CAIRO – 13 April 2020: "The first batch of irregular workers who applied for receiving financial assistance worth LE 500 monthly amid the coronavirus outbreak will start cashing out their aid," Egypt’s government announced Monday.

About 1,100 outlets affiliated with the Principal Bank for Development and Agriculture Credit (PBDAC) are ready to welcome the workers daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is in addition to 4,000 post offices and 600 schools.

A text message will be sent to those eligible for cashing out the aid 24 hours before receiving the money. As per the message, citizens will head to the outlet and start receiving their financial aid. The government also allocated the 142 hotline to inquire about eligibility and cashing outlets.

During a Cabinet meeting held on Sunday, Minster of Manpower Mohamed Saafan said, “During a two-week registration period for irregular workers, the ministry’s database received 2 million applications; however, after examining the applications, nearly 1.5 million workers were considered eligible for receiving the monthly aid, and will start cashing it as of Monday”.

Saafan explained that the ministry will be using the irregular worker’s database in the future for further aids and for building on it.

The state has allocated LE 100 billion to face the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to boost the social safety network and healthcare services. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on March 24 granting the Ministry of Health and Population LE 1 billion to handle the COVID-19 crisis.

Starting March 24, the government announced a bunch of strict protective measures against the coronavirus pandemic. The measures included imposing a night-time curfew, suspending public and private transportation during curfew hours, and closing all shops except supermarkets, grocery shops and pharmacies. Also, all restaurants, cafes, entertainment venues, gymnastics centers, social clubs and civil service departments, except for those operating in the health sector, will shut down.