Avoid controversies around managing Covid -19 pandemic, PGF Director General advises PTF, others

The Presidential Task Force (PTF), on Covid -19, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and relevant government bodies managing the spread and socio – economic effects of the ravaging global pandemic, have been urged to review approaches to their activities to avoid further controversies and public criticism.

Rather than attracting controversies, these agencies were advised to assist the Federal Government in refocusing national conversations around the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country away from issues of management of the palliatives.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman in a personal statement issued in Abuja on Saturday said recent controversies between the agencies of government and leadership of the National Assembly does not augur well for the image of the country as a nation desirous of containing the spread and effect of the pandemic.

Lukman who is the Director General, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), as well, called for a rebuild of trust in government by the citizenry in the joint fight against the pandemic while insisting that government at all levels need to exhibit transparency in the management of the socio – economic crisis inflicted on the larger part of the society by cironavirus outbreak.

Expressing his dissatisfaction to how public outbursts over distribution of palliatives have overshadowed concern on curbing the spread of the virus and treatment of infected persons, he said once the PTF is able to configure itself this way the issue of palliatives and how to administer it can be easily handled.

According to him, it is important that both the PTF and the Presidency are able to correct problems of trust and to minimise all distractive debates around administering palliatives.

“On the whole, we need to appeal to both the PTF and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to try and assist the government to refocus national conversations around the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the country away from issues of management of the palliatives.

“In some ways, the palliatives that should be the subject of national debate should not be the ones under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP). Important as the NSIP is, the PTF should be able to deliberate on nature and scope of the palliatives and decide on how best it should be handled in order to succeed in this critical fight against Covid-19.

“While considerations can be given to utilising some of the resources domiciled in the NSIP, as much as possible government and the PTF need to avoid a situation whereby the debate is reduced to academic exercise.

“It is important that everyone in government and the PTF is reminded about the fact that this is a fight that we must succeed. In fact, it is a fight that required that we adopt the Machiavellian logic of the end justify the means, which should imply that any approach that should save the lives of Nigerians should be welcome.

” In particular, members of the PTF should bear in mind that they have the overriding burden to support President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed.

Given that President Buhari’s disposition is one of non-interference once he delegates a responsibility, allowing factors of distractions to dominate national conversations instead of the sacrifice members of the PTF and government officials will be making could potebntially undermine government”, he said.

Buttressing the demand by the leadership of the National Assembly, Lukman on the issue of distribution of palliatives, he urged the PTF not to be defensive but to quietly change its approach.

He suggested that traditional, religious and community leaders who have been committed to mobilise citizens to observe social distancing and lockdown could be mobilized to participate in the process of disbursement of palliatives.

However, he said, one of the expected criticisms could be that non-governmental leaders may embezzle the resources.

He said “interestingly, this is also what is being alleged against government management of the resources. Shouldn’t it therefore be better for government to transfer the burden of disbursement to other non-governmental leaders and seek to strengthen accountability through combinations of sanction and incentives?

“For instance, wouldn’t it be possible to structure disbursement of the palliatives based on some specific executions of activities to enforce social distancing?

Through this, compliance with suspension of Muslim and Christian congregations, wedding, naming and burial ceremonies and practices could the focus, such that qualification for disbursement in a particular community is based on level of compliance.

“Other incentives such as community recognition, which should confer access to some facilities including targeted incentives to citizens in that community and provision of some infrastructure may also be added.

“The point is that there has to be some new approaches to entice citizens to support all government measures towards ensuring success in the fight against the spread of Covid-19. Deployment of strategies to win the support of citizens through active involvement of leaders across all strata of Nigerian society will be very important”.

Lukman suggested that the Federal Government should take cue from countries that have succeeded in containing or bringing the spread of Covid-19 under some control.

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He said “government will only succeed based on citizens’ support. Such a support is only possible if citizens are able to trust government, on the one hand, and on the other hand, government also able to accept the partnership of citizens.

“Given our reality in the country, this is not going to be easy. It will require the capacity of leaders in government, especially the PTF to come up with initiatives that can energise activities that should be appealing to citizens.

“It is tempting to dismiss such proposals and continue to handle the challenge at hand about containing the spread of Covid-19 based on business as usual approaches.

“In the event that such an approach leads to exponential rise in cases of Covid-19, both leaders in government and non-governmental spheres must accept responsibility.

At that point, no blame game can save the situation, or worst still, recover any life lost. If our leaders, whether in government or out of government want to save the situation, the time to act is now”.