The Niger State Government says it has spent the sum of N795 million in handling the activities of the novel Coronavirus in the state.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government, SSG, Alhaji Ahmed Matane who is the Chairman of the state COVID-19 Taskforce made this disclosure when he appeared before members of the state House of Assembly.
He also said that except for the three trucks of rice and 700 jerricans of vegetable oil from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Niger state has not received any money from the Federal government for COVID-19 activities.
The SSG and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Muhammad Maikusidi were invited to the House by the Legislators to explain the activities of the Task Force Committee.
He said while N410 million was used for providing palliatives for the people, electricity subsidy gulped N85 million, and the remaining amount was expended for transportation of movement of task force members, and patients from the local government centres to the isolation centres.
Other areas, the SSG revealed, was on the provision of water, allowances for volunteers, security operatives, front line workers and some members of the task force in the state.
Matane also said another amount of N290 million was spent on medicals to purchase Protective Personal Equipment (PPEs), drugs, capacity buildings for health workers, risk communication and travelling of health workers.
The Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force further disclosed that the Team received donations to the tune of N47 million from individuals and cooperating organizations that have not yet been touched.
“Everything we have done is from the budgetary allocation from the state government. We have not received one naira from the Federal government in terms of monetary donations, only the three trucks of rice and 700 jerricans of vegetable oil from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs. We got donations of N47 million, and have not yet touched a dime.”
Consequently, after the presentation, the lawmakers, who seem not satisfied with the responses they got, lambasted the state COVID-19 taskforce committee for acting alone without carrying the House and the people along in their activities.
The house members, who took turns to speak, said members of their constituencies did not receive any palliatives from the state task force.
The Chairman of the Committee on Health, Honorable Yabagi Akote further revealed that he was inaugurated alongside members of the COVID-19 task force and was supposed to be part of the team but was sidelined from its activities.
