The federal government has been asked to provide details of how the donations made towards the fight against the coronavirus is being used.
The Herald gathered that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the demand on its official Twitter handle on Sunday, April 5.
SERAP said it has submitted two Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the government demanding to know how the funds donated by well-meaning Nigerians, international bodies, religious groups and countries to kick COVID-19 out of Nigeria is being used.
The civil society organization also faulted the current methods of sharing the funds that are being employed by the federal government.
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According to the organization, “Rather than making physical cash payments to the country’s poorest & most vulnerable people, we urge the Nigerian government and the Central Bank to begin electronic cash transfers to all beneficiaries through individuals’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), already available through the banks.
“This would be cost-effective at this time of crisis, provide immediate and significant benefits, as well as give individuals and families the freedom to spend the money on goods and services that best meet their particular needs.”
Meanwhile, the presidential task force for the control of Coronavirus (COVID-19), said it is yet to receive any money from the funds donated by the private sector towards the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a member of the committee and the Minister of Information and Culture, disclosed this on Friday when he appeared on News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum to give an update on the activities of the task force in the fight against the pandemic.
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