Reps seek more transparency in post COVID-19 programmes

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

The House of Representatives, on Thursday, charged the government to ensure more transparency in the management of programmes aimed at cushioning the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the citizens.

The House also mandated government agencies saddled with the management of the programmes to create more aware and expand the criteria to accommodate more beneficiaries.

These followed the adoption of a motion by Ferdinand Nwankwo on the need to ensure adequate monitoring of the distribution of post COVID-19 palliatives and other measures to cushion effects pandemic on the citizens.

Nwankwo, in the motion, stated that the intentions of the government is to stimulate the growth of the economy and sustenance of the livelihood of citizens both in the private and the public sector.

According to him, some of the programmes N300 billion credit facility stimulus package for households and micro and small enterprises; N1 trillion loan to boost local manufacturing and production across critical sectors; N100billion intervention in health care loans to pharmaceutical companies and practitioners among others.

He stated that though funds are already been deployed for the programmes, there are complaints that the impact is not been felt by a lot of Nigerians.

Nwankwo recalled that it was #EndSARS protests that revealed that some palliatives meant for distribution to the public were warehoused across the states while the citizens were grappling with hunger.

“As many as the programs are, and as much funds that have already been deployed into the programs, complaints abound nationwide by teeming Nigerian citizens who have not felt the impact of the cushioning measures.
‘This means that the programmes are yet to get to the grassroots across the federation. Cognizant that the ugly effects of COVID-19 pandemic are still biting hard on the Nigerian citizens including civil servants as normalcy is yet to return, meaning that things like prices of commodities and supply chains are not yet back to pre-pandemic rates,”he stated.