COVID-19 INTERVENTION FUND: BUHARI WILL MAKE THE POOR POORER AND THE VULNERABLE MORE VULNERABLE

Two weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari muttered great audacity by announcing a stimulus package for poor and vulnerable Nigerians to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

However, while many pro-Buharists hailed the president, those of us who truly understand the system doubted the sincerity of the president, and the designated ministry, agency or commission to not shortchange the said poor and vulnerable. Thus, making them even poorer, and more vulnerable.

Yes! This is not unconnected to the fact that in the history of Nigeria, this government seems the most inept, inhuman and corrupt. Infact, it appears as if this government already assigned certain members of its cabinet to defend it course and insult Nigerians whenever there's public outcry on it ineptitude, corruption and inhumanity.

In retrospect, I engaged myself with thought of how snake and monkey swallowed millions of naira in some Government quarters and how the State House Clinic has gulped in the last five years #13.59bn budgetary provision yet the facility is unfit to treat the president, Chief of Staff and others and until now investigation is yet to happen.
I was deeply worried the president who in his magnanimousness and as core social responsibility decided to cater for the poor should have adopted a well thought out mechanism to reach out to both groups in entirety and set up a committee to ensure taxpayers money is spent carefully and efficiently. The National Assembly should set up its own committee to investigate the ministry, agency or whatever commission handling this disbursement and food supply considering the nation's notorious corruption history.

Poverty and unemployment are both reflective and precipitants of plethora of contemporary social challenges such as leadership, security, corruption etc. It therefore implies that, at this critical time Nigeria which has an estimated population of over 180 million, and a poverty rate of 69 percent, meaning 124 million of the over 180 million Nigerians live below the poverty line. While as at 2018 over 20.9 million Nigerians are unemployed. Thus, Nigeria must cater for its own created problems.

To my greatest surprise, it was unveiled that the Federal Government conditional cash transfer programme would use the World Bank model known as Community Based Targeting. Community Based Targeting is a model where members of an indigent community identify what poverty means to them and who the community considers the poorest households among them. The Federal Government claimed that the National Social Safety Nets Coordination Office has over the years built up a national register of the poorest households using this model. Therefore, it is correct to say, the National Social Register is what the National Cash Transfer Office used/still using to transfer the conditional cash to poorest households.

The presidency disclosed that it has identified 10,695,360 individuals in 35 states across the country as the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians, during this crisis of COVID19 pandemic and in effect, commenced the disbursement of N20, 000 Conditional Cash Transfer to these poor Nigerians at Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and barely 72hours the government claimed to have spent over #5.2billion. This came as a shock to Nigerians and for many, this government is a clear miracle of lies.
One would have expected the government to make public the criteria, definition for the poor and vulnerable households and details of beneficiaries. Sadly, vital information was kept from the public so to enable criminality as usual.

Moreover, anyone who takes a critical look at the 10,695,360 captured figures of poor and vulnerable would understand it doesn't reflect the reality. The 2018 World Poverty Clocks report named Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world with statistics showing 87 million people live in poverty. A sane government would have done proper research to obtain right figures of the poor and vulnerable, and make sure to capture the unemployed youth, daily income earners, old and dependents in the cash transfer and distribution of foods items.

Suffice to say that, the Government relief materials was a complete show of shame in the few communities captured. For instance, in a community in Ojo LGA, Lagos State only four sachet tomato, four loaves of breads, one bako-bag of Garri, half bako bag of beans, and three 5kg bags of rice were giving to the community with over six thousand inhabitants.

An eye-witness also narrated the show of shame in Surulere area of Lagos. According to him, the people of Surulere lined up in front of the Secretariat where same cartoon of indomie and other food items were presented to different people and televised by the media. Afterward, the said cartoon of indomie was opened and distributed one sachet per person. Little wonder, we saw a pictorial evidence of the government physical disbursement of #20, 000 in Abuja when same could have simply be done using BVN.

Eleven days into the 14days lockdown and possible extension hunger is ravishing the land, the people are crying while government continue to play politics with its audio transfer of cash and donation of relief materials.

This audio government last Saturday seek #500billion Crisis Intervention fund from the National Assembly and on Monday the president approves the withdrawal of $150m from the Sovereign Wealth Fund for distribution among the three tiers of government. This fund will eventually end in the hands of the criminal political class.

Expedient to say, I used to think Nigeria problems is both leadership and followership. However, with the advent of COVID-19, I have come to the understanding that Nigeria problem is her leadership. Of a truth, anybody could dismiss this stance. But we all must come to the realization that if any government gets it right, the people automatically get it right. Nigeria leadership is such a promiscuity that institute dire poverty and dire poverty makes any close, and safe cooperation that can lead to the followership emancipation impossible.

In conclusion therefore, it is clear to the blind and audible to the deaf from the foregoing that this government will make the poor even poorer and the Vulnerable More Vulnerable. To avoid this, all well-meaning Nigerians must join voices to resist the underlying criminality of this government by becoming proactive in political activities. Thus, making government responsive, responsible and accountable. Lest we are all endangered.

Ikuemonisan Bababo
Writes from Lagos.