The Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) comprising over 70 civil society groups on COVID-19, led by Lagos lawyer and human right activist, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) has called for a people-driven management process for the billions of funds and materials received by the Federal and State Governments in the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria.
ASCAB has Femi Falana as chairman, Deputy Chairman, Ms Hauwa Mustapha, Secretary, Ade Atambi. Other prominent members are Chinonye Obiagwu, (SAN), Prof Toye Olorode, Dr Osagie Obayuwana, Uche Duroke, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Prof Jubrin Ibrahim, Jaye Gaskiya among many others.
According to a statement signed by the group’s Secretary for Publicity, Mr Adewale Adeoye, the Federal and state governments have the obligation to ensure the judicious use of donations received from local and international organisations aimed at fighting COVID-19.
ASCAB said it was deeply concerned about the position of the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed that the donation by the private sector would be channeled towards funding the Supplementary Budget of the Federal Government stressing that the since the fund was donated to the people of Nigeria to combat COVID-19, it should not be used to fund the supplementary budget of the Federal Government alone.
The statement stated, “The funds should not be diverted into other areas. It has to be used to fund its specific and well defined objective. The entire fund should be shared by the three tiers of the government of the federation in accordance with the provisions of section 162 of the Constitution of Nigeria and the Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account etc) Act”.
The alliance regretted that the isolation centres have become hosts of poor and vulnerable people while the privileged class is treated in porch homes or exclusive private hospitals.
It said some of the isolation centres have become dumping grounds for poor patients adding, “Stories of poor people escaping from isolation centres are not unconnected with the fear of death occasioned by poor equipment in the isolation centres. The facilities at some of the isolation centres call for deep concern. We have received complaints from many interest groups and members of the alliance spread across the country. Isolation centres are synonymous with poor people. This raises the prospect of two dimensional approaches of access to health facilities, one for the poor and the other reserved for the rich”.
ASCAB also called on the Federal and State Governments to fix public hospitals across the country, regretting that at the moment the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is largely funded by the Bill Gates Foundation instead of the Federal Government.
“Nigerians are watching with keen interests the funds donated by various groups and organisations to the Federal and State Governments. We are anxious to see a responsible and transparent expenditure that reflect global best practices. The geo-metric increase in the number of COVID-19 patients following the ease of the lockdown is a clear indication that the fight against the pandemic will be long drawn” the statement said.
ASCAB said the governments at all levels must realise that the campaign is not the prerogative of the government alone, not a property of the government but that the people who are the primary beneficiaries of the funds should be involved in the conception and implementation processes of any project related to COVID-19 funds.
The funds collected as at last week included $2 million grant from the United Nations, (UN), €50 million donation from the European Union, (EU), $90 million drawn from the World Bank Health Fund, $3.4 billion loan approved by the International Monetary Fund, (IMF) and the N25.8b donation by corporate bodies and individuals.
The Alliance condemned the horrendous violations of human rights by armed security personnel under the pretext of enforcing COVID-19 regulations.
It said, “Our Legal Human Rights Committee has been directed to assist victims of human rights abuse to seek redress”.
