Senators donate 50% of salaries to fight COVID-19

The Senate has announced the decision by Distinguished Senators to contribute 50 percent of their salaries to the efforts to respond to the spread and treatment of Coronavirus in Nigeria.

Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, announced the decision through a statement on Monday.

The statement reads: “After due consultations following a keen review of the national efforts to contain the Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria, the Senate wishes to announce that from March, 2020, Distinguished Senators will be donating 50 per cent of their salaries to these efforts to stop the spread of the disease, otherwise known as COVID-19, in our country.

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“This monthly contribution from the Upper Legislative Chamber will be sustained until Nigeria is declared safe from the ravages of this deadly disease.

“The Senate commends the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and the administration towards the goal of securing our nation against this plague. The Senate is willing and ready to do whatever is required of the Legislature for the effectiveness of all the measures in place now or that may be required in the future to win the fight against this menace.

“The Senate commends all agencies of the Federal and state levels for working in collaboration to protect public health across the country.

“It also acknowledges the patriotic response of public-spirited individuals and organisations who have contributed in one way or the other in support of this fight.

“The Senate further appeals to the citizens to comply with the directives on social distancing and observance of basic rules of hygiene as explained by  public health officials as the most effective way to protect ourselves, families and country against COVID-19.

“This is a global adversity that is testing the wit and resilience of mankind all over the world. By staying resolute and each of us responsibly playing their role, COVID-19 like all epidemics before it will soon be pushed into history.”

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)/ Transparency International in Nigeria has commended and appreciated the ongoing donations by indigenous groups towards the combating the COVID-19 virus pandemic and its socio-economic impacts in Nigeria, and called for total accountability of the utilisation and distribution of funds.

In a statement on Monday signed by its Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), CISLAC also expressed surprise that the appointment and selection into the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 did not take cognisance of representatives from the media and other credible governmental and non-governmental organisations working on anti-corruption, transparency and accountability in governance and public financial management.

It called on the Federal Government, relevant authorities and anti-graft institutions to ensure proper accountability in the utilisation and distribution of the donated funds.

The group as well suggested that all distributed funds need to be recorded and pro-actively published so that impartial and objective verification is enabled.

The body noted that in times of global public emergency, proactive measures to ensure judicious utilisation and distribution of these funds are needed more than ever while insisting that inclusion of media and other accountability entities in the Committee would compel transparency and accountability in the utilisation and dissemination of managed funds.

“At this critical junction, Nigeria cannot afford mismanagement and misappropriation of public and donated funds.

“We on this note have no hesitation to state that diversion or misappropriation of the funds would be tantamount to total betrayal, unpatriotic, unsympathetic and selfishness in the management of the nation’s treasury which are punishable under relevant laws.

“While we monitor with keen interest response of various authorities to commitment of the Federal Government towards alleviating impacts of the newly pronounced lockdown in some states, we demand sincere effort to ensure relief materials and other financial and material assistance are deployed accordingly to citizens”, said CISLAC.