Senate: Nigeria can’t sustain N5bn monthly spending on 2.7m IDPs
The parlous state of the Nigerian economy was dissected by Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf (APC Taraba Central), declaring that the country has no financial muscle to subsidise petrol any longer and even sustain the monthly N5billion it spends on internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the affected states.
Senator Yusuf, who chairs Senate Committee on Special Duties, painted the gloomy picture of the nation’s economy in an interview with journalists in Abuja Saturday.
He also justified the recent fuel price increase as well as the electricity tariff hike, both of which had come under severe criticism by Nigerians.
He said the hike in fuel price was long anticipated after many years of what the lawmaker called manipulations.
“We all know that in an economy, we have the product side, the financial side and the labour side. We started this long ago, but it is now the economy is restructuring itself.
“We try to manipulate the restructuring of the economy over a period of time since the time of structural adjustment programme.
“One way or the other, we manipulate, we put a lot of sentiment into it. The real effect is now staring us on our face. So, what do we do? What is the reality on the ground?
“Government has no money to subsidise the pump price of the petroleum product. All is because of the value of the Naira.
“The dollar price of our imported products has not changed much. What has changed much is the value of the Naira vis-a-vis the dollar. Until we get the realistic value of our currency, we may not be able to sort out this problem. We must also change our attitudes. Every Nigerian has to accept the fact that things must change for the better,” he said.
On electricity tariff hike, he said it was challenging and a decision that must be endured by all.
The lawmaker said: “All of us must accept the fact that this change will come one day. Officially, we will sit down and look at it probably differently but in my personal opinion, this change has come, and we must accept the fact that it has come.”
Yusuf also lamented that based on realities on ground, the country may not be able to sustain the N5billion being spent monthly on the 2.7million people in IDPs’ camps.
He said no amount of resources can sustain or take care of palliatives needed by people in the camps, and advised government to fast track their locations back to their various natural habitats.
The lawmaker said relocating them back to their various towns and villages without further delay remains the best option, declaring it would help to diffuse the time bomb symbolised by orphans among them.
“What we should do is to work together, accept the fact that security is important, the security agents should be given enough courage because the government is doing its own best but the security agencies, though they are trying, their best is not enough.
“The people in the IDP camps want to go back to their homes, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t go back.
“We cannot continue to believe that the IDP syndrome should continue. We must exit it at one time or the other. It is a sad thing. There are children who are orphans in all respect and most of them are below the age of 18. It’s a time bomb waiting to explode.
“We cannot sustain spending about N5 billion a month to take care of these people. What we will do is to put our hands on deck and make sure that security is provided for them to go back to their homes, so that we can reduce the mounting pressure on our resources to take care of the IDPs,” Yusuf said.
…N31bn on COVID-19
Also, the Nigeria government said it “spent N30, 540, 563, 571.09, representing 84% of the N36.3 billon public funds and donations received to respond to COVID-19 between 1st April, 2020 and 31st July, 2020, leaving the balance of N5.9 billion.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in June disbursed the total sum of N107.45 billion to beneficiaries from the N1.15 trillion COVID-19 Pandemic Intervention Funds so far, according to data provided by the bank from the Monetary Policy Meeting for May 2020.
The apex bank announced that under the N100 billion Healthcare Sector fund, N10.15 billion was disbursed and approved for establishments of advanced diagnostics and health centres and expansion of pharmaceutical plants for essentials drugs and intravenous fluids.
Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris stated this in response to the Freedom of Information request dated 10 August, 2020 and sent to him by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Connected Development (CODE).
In the reply to Mr Idris, dated 4th September 2020, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare and CODE Chief Executive, Hamzat Lawal, the organisations said: “We note among others that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 spent N22 billion; and 36 states spent N7 billion to support their COVID-19 initiatives.”
“We also note that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) spent N877 million for deployment of assets in support of COVID-19 operations; while the Nigeria Police spent N500 million on personal protective equipment. N17, 865. 09 was paid as bank charges.”
The statement reads in part: “However, we also note that the documents sent to us do not contain other significant details as indicated in our FoI request dated 10 August, 2020, including details and breakdown of the number of Nigerians who directly or indirectly have benefited from the spending, and details on plans to spend the balance of N5.9 billion in the COVID-19 Eradication Support Accounts.”
“It is refreshing to note that 115 ordinary Nigerians donated between N1 and N100 to support the authorities’ efforts to fight COVID-19, despite the fact that it is the country’s poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of the population that continue to bear the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is a huge lesson for public officials and politicians about the idea of public service to one’s country. It also sends a powerful message about the need for politicians to see public office as an opportunity to serve and give something back to the country, and not a place to mismanage, steal or divert the people’s commonwealth into private pockets for personal benefits.
“We welcome your demonstrated commitment to transparency and accountability, and hope other public officials and institutions would emulate and learn from the good example you have shown by honouring and respecting FoI Act as a matter of routine and practice.
“We would therefore be grateful to receive more specific details and additional information on the spending of N34.4bn between April and July, and details on plans to spend the balance of the balance of N5.9 billion in the COVID-19 Eradication Support Accounts.
“Of the N36.3bn public funds and donations received, N1.4bn came from Nigerians and companies through accounts at the First Bank; Access Bank; GTB, Zenith, and UBA, while N536m donations were made through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The N536 donations comprise of N89m and N279m from the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
“In addition, China General Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria donated N48m; the Petroleum Equalisation Management Board gave N50m while the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board donated N70m.
“We would be grateful if the requested details and additional information are provided to us within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP and CODE shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to compel you to comply with our request.
“We are writing to acknowledge receipt of the undated letter signed on your behalf by Mrs. Odanwu Chizoba, from the Office of Accountant General of the Federation, but received 2nd September, 2020, on the above subject-matter in which the Federal Government provided some information on inflows and outflows of COVID-19 funds, drawn from COVID-19 Eradication Support Accounts. We appreciate your co-operation in this regard.”
Specifically, the groups are asking Mr Idris to provide to them with the following: Details and breakdown of where the N34.4bn public funds from the Federal Government came from, and whether or not the money was duly appropriated by the National Assembly; Details of specific projects and activities on which the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has spent the N22.16bn, which represents 72% of the money spent, including how the spending has directly or indirectly benefited Nigerians, as well as details of names of any such beneficiaries.
Others include Details and breakdown of money, if any, spent to provide personal protective equipment to Nigerian doctors and medical workers who are at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19; Details and breakdown of the N7bn given to 36 states, and the specific amount of money collected by each state. This money represents 23% of the total amount spent within 4 months; Details and breakdown of the N877m (2.9% of the money) spent by the Nigerian Air Force for deployment of assets in support of COVID-19 operations, as well as the nature of any such operations; Details and breakdown of the N500m 1 (.6% of the money) spent by the Nigeria Police on personal protective equipment.
Culled from blueprint.ng
