COVID-19 Windfalls: Will The Donations Be Looted?

By Chuks Ekpeneru

Reputed not to show mercy to public funds, the Nigerian bureaucrat and politicians have frequently been accused of being responsible for the slow socio-economic development of the country.

Not too long ago, a former Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources in a north-central was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment for allegations of embezzling N19 million meant for farmers in his state.

This and several other cases of diversion of funds meant for critical projects are regular occurrences in the country.

Already, speculations are rife that the emergence of the novel Covid-19 is another opportunity for public officials to divert funds.

This is the reason the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) raised alarm recently, and urged President Muhammadu Buhari to put in place mechanisms to track and monitor spending by federal agencies and state governors to combat coronavirus or COVID19 pandemic in Nigeria.

In an open letter to the President, SERAP said he should “urgently instruct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to jointly track and monitor spending by federal agencies and state governors to combat coronavirus or COVID19 pandemic in Nigeria.”

The group said this “would remove the risks of corruption and mismanagement in our healthcare systems that are already weakened by systemic corruption.

In the letter dated 20 March, 2020 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization said: “Coronavirus crisis requires quick responses but it also requires corruption safeguards to ensure public funds are well spent, and promote access to basic public health and other services to those most in need.”

This is what led Nigerian Producer, Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly known as Don Jazzy to taunt Nigerian leaders over their inability to travel abroad for medical treatment, amidst the fear of Coronavirus.

In a tweet, he expressed displeasure over the refusal of Nigerian leaders to build hospitals.

“Build hospital build hospital you’ll not hear. Now you can not go abroad,” he wrote.

Already, at the Federal level, budget running into billion have been presented for approval and subsequent release.

The funds are needed to sensitise the public and make adequate preparations to curtail the spread of Covid-19. But majority of Nigerians believe that huge portion of allocated fund will be mismanaged.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed has already disclosed that the Federal Government would be releasing the total sum of N6.5 billion in two tranches (N1.5 billion and N5 billion) to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as an intervention to assist in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 disease in Nigeria.

She also said Lagos State being the worst-hit state would receive financial support from the Federal Government to the tune of N10 billion to combat it.

The finance minister said that the sum of one billion naira would be released by the government to pharmaceutical firms in the country.

Already, private organisations and individuals have started pouring in support to deal with Coronavirus.

On Thursday, United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) announced a donation of over 5 billion naira (USD14 million), through the UBA Foundation, to catalyse a comprehensive pan-African response to the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

Statement by Chairman of the Bank said N1 billion (USD2.8 million) goes to Lagos State Government in Nigeria, N500 million (USD1.4 million) to Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, N1 billion (USD2.8 million) to the remaining 35 states in Nigeria, N1.5 billion (USD4.2 million) to UBA’s presence countries in Africa and N1 billion (USD2.8 million) for Medical Centres with equipment and supplies

Earlier, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) had pledged N200million support.

Former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar also pledged N50 million donation.

In the coming days, more bodies and individuals are expected to support the fight against the disease that has led to death of more than 10,000 across the globe.

Nigerians are hoping that you this time around, the funds will be used meaningfully.

On his part, President Buhari should heed call and monitor how the resources will be expended and deal decisively with any culprit.

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