APC govs forum faults FG’s palliatives, offers advice on fight against covid-19

The All Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) has faulted the Federal Government’s strategy of disbursing palliatives to cushion the effect of Covid-19.

In a statement on Saturday, the Director-General of the the PGF, Salihu Lukman advised the Muhammadu Buhari led government to adopt a new strategy in the disbursement of various palliatives it has put in place to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians who are locked down due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

According to Lukman, in the interim, it makes no sense for government to continue with the school feeding programme when pupils are at home.

The PGF DG also hinted on some of the factors hindering the success of the fight against the pandemic.

He equally called on the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to expand its membership to include the National Assembly members and state governments in order to get the buy-in of all Nigerians.

The statement read in part:

“Once the PTF is able to configure itself this way, the issue of palliatives and how to administer it can be easily handled. It is important that both the PTF and the Presidency are able to correct problems of trust and ensure that it is able to minimise all distractive debates around administering palliatives. For instance, once schools are closed, there is no need talking of school feeding. This does not mean, the resources for the school feeding cannot be directed to support the families of the schoolchildren for the duration of the fight against Covid-19.

“It is simply a matter of redirecting how it is disbursed. In any case, whether we recognise that or not, so long as schools are closed, method of feeding those children have to change.

“On the whole, we need to appeal to both the PTF and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to try and assist the government to refocus national conversations around the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country away from issues of management of the palliatives.

“In some ways, the palliatives that should be the subject of national debate should not be the ones under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). Important as the NSIP is, the PTF should be able to deliberate on nature and scope of the palliatives and decide on how best it should be handled in order to succeed in this critical fight against Covid-19.

“While considerations can be given to utilising some of the resources domiciled in the NSIP, as much as possible government and the PTF need to avoid a situation whereby the debate is reduced to academic exercise.

“It is important that everyone in government and the PTF is reminded about the fact that this is a fight that must succeed. In fact, it is a fight that required that we adopt the Machiavellian logic of the end justify the means, which should imply that any approach that should save the lives of Nigerians should be welcome.

“In particular, members of the PTF should bear in mind that they have the overriding burden to support President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed. Given that President Buhari’s disposition is one of non-interference once he delegates a responsibility, allowing factors of distractions to dominate national conversations instead of the sacrifice members of the PTF and government officials will be making could potentially undermine government.

“On the whole, deciding on the question of palliatives, in whatever way the PTF wants to approach it, it should not be about being defensive. The best approach should be to quietly change the approach. Part of the problem associated with the current practice is that it undermines social distancing including the lockout. This has to change.

“One of the recommended considerations could be to ensure that traditional, religious and community leaders commit themselves to mobilise citizens to observe social distancing and lockdown. In other words, is it possible to get them to participate in the process of disbursement?

“One of the expected criticisms could be that non-governmental leaders may embezzle the resources. Interestingly, this is also what is being alleged against government management of the resources.

“Shouldn’t it, therefore, be better for government to transfer the burden of disbursement to other non-governmental leaders and seek to strengthen accountability through combinations of sanction and incentives?

“For instance, wouldn’t it be possible to structure disbursement of the palliatives based on some specific executions of activities to enforce social distancing?

“Through this, compliance with suspension of Muslim and Christian congregations, wedding, naming and burial ceremonies and practices could be the focus, such that qualification for disbursement in a particular community is based on level of compliance.

“Other incentives such as community recognition, which should confer access to some facilities including targeted incentives to citizens in that community and provision of some infrastructure may also be added.

“The point is that there has to be some new approaches to entice citizens to support all government measures towards ensuring success in the fight against the spread of Covid-19. Deployment of strategies to win the support of citizens through active involvement of leaders across all strata of Nigerian society will be very important”, he advocated.

“It is good to have all senior federal government functionaries driving the process and consulting other arms of governments – National Assembly and Governors. This however can be strengthened by going beyond consultations. The reality is that consultations alone, will hardly produce the needed ownership and synergy of initiatives even within governmental structures.

“In fact, one can argue that some of the critical observations of the leadership of the National Assembly from the session with the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and more recently with the PTF on Thursday, April 9, 2020 is a confirmation of the limitations of consultations. What is required is that, depending on the terms of reference of the PTF as given by the President, the PTF should consider co-opting members of the National Assembly to join the Committee.

READ ALSO: Pro-Buhari group queries PDP’s moral right to caution Buhari on petroleum subsidy

“Similarly, is the issue of coordinating with states. The PTF Chairman, Mr. Boss Mustapha, has reported at least in two of its daily media briefing sessions that they have had teleconferencing with Governors. The reality of ensuring successful containment of the spread of Covid-19 will however be hinged on the effectiveness of states to enforce measures around social distancing including lockdown.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now