COVID-19: PDP berates Buhari for failing to invest in homegrown remedies
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for discounting the development of homegrown remedies only to seek solution from Madagascar even when the nation brims with curative resources against ailments such as COVID-19.
While the PDP has nothing against any genuine effort to secure therapeutics for COVID-19, the party said that such solutions as developed by Madagascar abound in Nigeria, but have remained untapped because of the failure of the Buhari administration to heed to wise counsel to look inwards for answers.
The party recalled that it had been urging President Buhari to acknowledge indigenous potentials and mobilise homegrown solutions, given abundant curative flora and globally recognized healing traditions as well as experienced researchers and experts in various institutions across the country, but to no avail.
In a statement on Tuesday, PDP said instead, the Buhari Presidency and ithe Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 sat on national potentials to wait for foreign solutions, while other African leaders are busy looking inwards for remedies.
“It is indeed, despicable and shameful that instead of leading other African countries for solutions, as the giant of Africa, President Buhari’s incompetent, lethargic, indolent and aimless administration is going to Madagascar to purchase remedies that abound in our country.
“The Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration had continued to snub entreaties by Nigerians to mobilize our abounding indigenous manufacturers and researchers for production of therapeutics, including ventilators, kits and medicines just like Madagascar and Senegal.
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“If the leaders of Madagascar did not lead from the front and looked inwards to produce the COVID-Organics, would President Buhari be running to them for solution?” the statement by PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan read.
The party therefore, called on the Buhari administration to end its unnecessary political parochialism and mobilise indigenous researchers for homegrown solutions in the interest of the nation.
The PDP however, urged Nigerians to intensify their efforts towards personal health protection as well as observing the health safety directions of social distancing, personal hygiene and other restrictions by health authorities, as we collectively check the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
