Follow Us on Google
Fred Ezeh, Abuja
A Nigerian Political Party, African Action Congress (AAC), has called on the Federal Government to be more transparent and accountable in the management of COVID-19 funds and donations it received from local and foreign donors.
The Party said that $27.16 billon COVID-19 fund, and other funds and donations received by Federal Government to fight Coronavirus pandemic and provide palliatives to the populace should be judiciously managed and properly accounted for.
It frowned at the continuous request for foreign and local loans by Federal Government, advising that it make judicious use of the $311 million recently recovered from the Late General Sani Abacha and trillions of Naira recovered from alleged corrupt public office holders in Nigeria and abroad.
AAC National Chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, in a statement, on Thursday, insisted that government at all levels must ensure that victims of the virus are adequately taken care of.
He said: “The recent protest by Coronavirus patients in two isolation centres in Gombe state who blocked the Gombe-Biu highway complaining of negligence and poor treatment by the State Task Force on COVID-19 was the height of absurdity in the management of those infected by the virus, and questions the nation’s preparedness to contain it.”
He, however, reminded the officials that majority of Nigerians are unhappy with their handling of the social intervention funds, conditional cash transfer and palliatives to indigent compatriots, which gave room for corruption and neglect of the very vulnerable people they were meant to serve.
“It’s also disheartening that no government official has been able to respond positively and satisfactorily to query directed at ascertaining the exact amount received for the fight against COVID-19,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Party has called for stoppage of repatriation of Almajiris to other States by Governors, saying that such actions increases the spread of COVID-19 across the country.
It suggested that Almajiris should be tested in the States they reside, and if found positive should be quarantined and treated while the rest are kept in a camp pending when they would reunited with parents.
“We must realize that these are fellow Nigerians who must be treated with compassion and dignity.”
