Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has said the Federal government cannot share to Nigerians the funds donated by private Nigerians and organizations for the fight against COVID19.
Ever since the country started having cases of coronavirus, private individuals and companies have donated huge sums to help the nation fight the pandemic.
Nigerians have called on the government to share donations 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.
His words ;
“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.”
