COVID-19: PDP Queries Task Force Over N5bn Presidential Grant to NCDC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Coronavirus (COVID-19) to immediately account for the N5 billion released by President Muhammadu Buhari, as special intervention fund to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

PDP said its demand was predicated on allegations that the PTF had shrouded the funds in administrative bottlenecks which are impeding the smooth running of activities of the NCDC.

A statement issued on Wednesday by spokesman of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the PDP was very worried over the “recent frightening complains by the NCDC that it was in desperate need of essential COVID-19 extraction kits required to tackle the pandemic and safeguard Nigerians at this critical time.”

The party noted that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, has failed to urgently mobilize home grown researches into COVID-19 therapeutics, including drugs, equipment and essential kits to combat the spread of the virus in the country.

“The PDP therefore demands that the PTF should immediately come clean on the whereabouts of the fund as well as explain why it had failed to heed the calls by Nigerians to engage indigenous researchers, virologist and manufacturers for home grown solutions, particularly in the production of drugs, text kits as well as ventilators, despite the huge resources at its disposal,” the statement reads in part.

“It is hoped that the NCDC intervention fund has not been funneled into the control of an alleged corrupt cabal in the PTF, where it will be difficult for the Centre to promptly access.

“Our party is concerned that the PTF had not demonstrated the required capacity towards solutions beyond its daily media show, complication of figures and needless photo-ops, while the pandemic continues to spread in our country.

“The PDP notes that this was the reason it demanded for the immediate reorganization of the PTF to eliminate all underlining political impediments and allow our known experts to step in and effectively galvanize our public and private institutions for solution.”

According to the statement, the party expressed confidence in the country’s indigenous scientists, medical and virology experts, warning that the current over-dependence on foreign interventions was not in the best interest of the nation.

The party called on the president to demand for account of the funds so far released for the pandemic as well as immediately channel the required investments towards indigenous research for production of treatment drugs, vaccines, ventilators and other essential kits, especially as the nation witnesses a spike of the disease.