Lai Mohammed,
Nigeria's Minister of Information, has explained why the Federal government
cannot share to Nigerians the funds donated by private Nigerians and
organizations for the fight against COVID19.
Over N15 billion
have been donated by private Nigerians and organizations under the auspice
''COVID-19 Relief Fund''.
Nigerians have
called on the government to share the N15 billion donated as palliatives during
the lockdown over the Coronavirus pandemic.
Reacting to this
call, the Minister who was featured on a Radio Nigeria programme today April
14, said the Federal government does not have the power to distriubute such
funds. He explained that the private individuals and organizations came
together to donate the funds and asked the Federal government how they can help
to effectively fight the pandemic.
Lai Mohammed said
the Federal government has advised the private individuals to use their
donations to help develop the healthcare infrastructure in the country.
“The private sector
donors are not giving any cash to the federal government and they have made
this clear to the people. They said they will support the fight against the
pandemic by asking government where they want healthcare infrastructure to be
provided.
What government has
done is to request them to build a 30-bed isolation ward and a 10-bed Intensive
Care Unit in each state in the country. In addition, the federal government has
given them a list of equipment and commodities that will also be needed.
Therefore, the issue of using their donations to provide palliative cannot
arise.” Lai said
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