COVID-19: No cash donation was received – Humanitarian Affairs Minister

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk has stated that her ministry did not receive any cash donation from any entity within or outside Nigeria as support for COVID-19.

The minister stated this on Tuesday while giving a budget performance of her ministry’s 2020 budget before the House of Representatives.

The minister’s claim is coming after the nation has received cash donations runing into billions for the fight against COVID-19.

The donations are also meant to help Nigeria cushion the effect of the pandemic on its citizenry.

As at April 2020, the Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) realised about N27.160 billion to help fight the coronavirus and it’s effects.

The humanitarian affairs ministry is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating all humanitarian affairs in Nigeria.

Notable Nigerians that have made contributions are Aliko Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu (BUA Sugar Refinery), Segun Agbaje (GTB), Tony Elumelu (UBA), Oba Otudeko (First Bank), Jim Ovia (Zenith Bank), Herbert Wigwe (Access Bank), and Femi Otedola of Amperion Power Distribution.

The Minster while address g the lawmakers however said her ministry recieved donations of food stuffs.

“We have not recieved a penny from any organization inside or outside Nigeria
But we have recieved food items.” She said.

She also stated that aside the budgetary allocations from the federal government, her ministry did not receive any special intervention for COVID-19.

The minister went further to give a breakdown of her ministry’s releases which she said was around 50 percent.

“The total sum of N134,453,735.25 (One Hundred and Thirty-Four Million, Four Hundred and Fifty-Three Thousand, Seven-Hundred and Thirty-Five Naira, Twenty-Five Kobo) or 59.12% of the total amount released for overhead cost was utilized during the year out of the sum of N227,432,126.48 received.”

“Over 72% of take-off grant released in 2020 or the sum of N499,956,441.15 (Four Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty-Six Thousand, Four Hundred Forty-One Naira, Fifteen Kobo) was utilized for office partitioning, furnishing, and purchase of ICT equipment and software.”

“Only 14.86% of the total capital releases or the sum of N147,099,801.75 (One Hundred and Forty-Seven Million, Ninety-Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and One Naira) was utilized to finance capital projects of the Ministry.”

“This was occasioned by the late release of the capital allocation and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, procurement processes are ongoing to ensure full utilization.”

“The sum of N321,426,582.49 (Three Hundred and Twenty-One Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty-Two Naira) or 58.29% of total allocation for Covid-19 intervention was utilized for this year,” she said.

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