Vodafone Fiji advises the recipients of the $90 COVID cash assistance from government that they do not need to risk themselves waiting in long lines to withdraw cash.
Vodafone says the money is safe in the wallet for as long as they want it and can be withdrawn later at any time.
Concerns are being raised as thousands of people have been queuing up at M-PAiSA agents between Suva to Lami and Nadi to Lautoka corridor to cash out the $90 COVID assistance.
Head of Vodafone eCommerce and M-PAiSA, Shailendra Prasad is urging beneficiaries to avoid the rush and putting themselves at risk of COVID-19 by joining long lines to withdraw the money they received into their M-PAiSA wallet if they can manage for a few more days.
Prasad says your money in the M-PAiSA mobile wallet is safe without any deduction or fees for as long as you want to keep it.
Vodafone is further urging its subscribers to download the M-PAiSA App and use the cashless QR pay option to do their shopping.
Vodafone Fiji is also putting at risk the health of its many loyal workers who are doing their best to serve everyone in a very challenging environment.
The Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji has applauded the financial service being provided by Vodafone in a precarious health environment.
Ariff Ali says they are so thankful that they have a mobile phone-based service like M-PAiSA that has really helped to distribute cash assistance to the public so efficiently and safely. He urges the recipients to do their part by trying the cashless payment options such as M-PAiSA QR instead of withdrawing cash to prevent the further spread of COVID 19 and keep the country safe.
Meanwhile 70,000 families were assisted with a total payout of $6.3 million through the $90 assistance program until yesterday.
37,000 families were assisted in the Nadi and Lautoka containment areas while 33,000 families were assisted in Lami, Suva, Nasinu and Nausori.
Applications for the assistance is now closed.
