The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the National Assembly to properly scrutinize the N500 billion request of the Federal GovernmentCOVID-19: FG seeks National Assembly’s approval for N500bn Intervention Fund as an intervention fund against the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity, Kola Ologbodinyan, the PDP said its reaction is based on allegations of fraudulent diversion of funds in the recent disbursement of N20,000 social palliatives, with some persons rejecting the figures put out.
The PDP urged the National Assembly to ensure that Nigerians are the true beneficiaries of monies channeled towards providing relief for the people.
The statement read“: “The Federal Government needs to place these details before the National Assembly. This money, which is to be mopped up from various special government accounts, belongs to Nigerians. As such, the National Assembly must ensure that it is fully utilised for their wellbeing.
“The PDP, therefore, urged the National Assembly to instill checks and balances by providing that the implementation must involve trusted and transparent eminent Nigerians from the private sector to further guarantee accountability and overall confidence of Nigerians in the scheme.
“Furthermore, the PDP called on the National Assembly to direct a quick investigation into allegations of fraudulent diversion of palliative money in the cash disbursement of N20,000 to some Nigerians, by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk.
“This investigation has become imperative given allegations that the resort to cash disbursement directly by a minister instead of using cash disbursement facilities by the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), is part of the design to manipulate the system, stifle accountability and pave way for the alleged siphoning of a huge chunk of the funds,” the communique partly read.
