COVID-19 Donations: Let Us Know Those Who Benefited From The Relief Fund-SERAP Tells Nigerian Government

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has presented a fresh demand from the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN with the aid of freedom of information bill.

According to the SERAP Deputy Director, Mr. Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization,via its twitter handle  the Federal Government must disclose information on the details of implementation of the school feeding programme during the lockdown and closure of schools in several states

The Human right Activist group also asked the Nigerian government to publish spending details of public funds and private sector donations and other benefits during the lockdown.

In two FoI, requests sent to Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Ms. Sadia Umar-Farouk and CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, SERAP said: “We are seriously concerned that millions of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people have not benefited from the announced palliatives, donations, reported cash payments, cash transfers and other benefits.

“Providing socio-economic benefits to the country’s poorest especially at this time of COVID-19 crisis is a matter of human rights, not charity.

“It is also implicit in Nigerians’ right to freely use their natural wealth and resources, which ought to be spent for the public good. Ensuring that relief funds and donations are used to provide much-needed benefits to beneficiaries is critical to keeping people alive, and addressing vulnerabilities and inequalities in the country.

Here is the tweet of SERAP’s request below

We are seriously concerned that millions of the country’s poorest and most vulnerable people have not benefited from the announced palliatives, donations, reported cash payments, cash transfers and other benefitshttps://t.co/IZtJOOs4uL

— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) April 5, 2020