Author: National Record

“There is no point beating a dead horse in this matter. This government has shown an unparalleled level of incompetence in confronting the challenges of COVID 19.”

“The present letter is addressed to leaders of all walks of life; to the people of Africa and to all those that are committed to re/thinking the continent. We invite them to seize the opportunity of the coronavirus crisis to joint efforts in rethinking an African state in the service of the well-being of its people, to break with a model of development based on the vicious cycle of indebtedness, to break with the orthodox vision of growth for the sake of growth, and of profit for the sake of profit.”

“Whereas covid-19 has led to the death of about 11 patients to date (14/4/20), law enforcement agents have extrajudicially executed 18 persons to enforce the regulations. This speaks volumes of the protocols and rules of engagement for our law enforcement as well the efficiency level and capacity of law enforcement agents to deal with civil population. It’s a sheer display of impunity and reckless disregard for human life in law enforcement by security personnel.”

“While the Nigeria Labour Congress applauds the goodwill by the IMF and World Bank, we wish to express our displeasure that Nigeria was excluded from the list of benefitting countries announced by IMF. We call for the inclusion of Nigeria in the beneficiary list for the Covid-19 related debt relief and debt moratorium based on very cogent reasons.”

To cushion the impact of the lockdown on poor and vulnerable communities, President Buhari in a nationwide broadcast directed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to set up and implement a palliative scheme for targeted poor and vulnerable communities.

While the IMF approved US$1 billion disbursement to Ghana to address the covis-19 pandemic to be drawn under its (IMF’s) Rapid Credit Facility, its Executive Board on the same day approved for Senegal a US$442 million disbursement under the Rapid Credit Facility and purchase under the Rapid Financing Instrument. The IMF did not make public any conditionalities to these packages.

“Nothing else happened but what I have just told you. People see the video and start screaming: “Look how they are throwing Igbo people and black people out.” But you were asked to stay indoors so that they can sort things out. They are trying to solve this problem so that the virus can be brought under control before they let people in. “

Although the Foreign Ministry’s statement failed to admit any infractions, it however provided what can be described as a detailed background to the incidents. Mr Lijian noted in the statement that: “Faced with COVID-19, an abrupt global public health crisis, all countries are taking containment measures to prevent it from further spreading.

“AAC says that the ruling party does not have the political goodwill to deliver Nigeria safely and soundly out of this pandemic. In Lagos, Nigerians have turned themselves to vigilante while millions have been fighting to survive staying at home!”

“Today, I am pleased to say that our Executive Board approved immediate debt service relief to 25 of the IMF’s member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to help address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”