COVID-19: We didn’t receive any cash donation — 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 the fight against 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 received cash donations running 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 of April 2020, the Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) realised about N27.160 billion to help fight the coronavirus and its 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 minister, while addressing the lawmakers, however said her ministry received donations of food stuffs.

“We have not received a penny from any organisation inside or outside Nigeria but we have received 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 percent of the total amount released for overhead cost was utilised during the year out of the sum of N227,432,126.48 received.”

“Over 72 percent 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 utilised for office partitioning, furnishing, and purchase of ICT equipment and software.”

“Only 14.86 percent 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 utilisation.”

“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 percet of total allocation for Covid-19 intervention was utilised for this year,” she said.