The Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, has on Monday, denied the allegations by Nigerians that Covid-19 palliatives meant for distribution during the lockdown early in the year to citizens, were hoarded by the State Governments,
According to a statement signed by the NGF’s Spokesperson, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, the State Governors have held several meetings since the EndSARS protests began, and started to address the concerns of members of the public, adding that, they identified calls for justice and an end to Police brutality by the youths.
“The NGF wishes to state categorically that no State has been involved in, or has hoarded any palliatives”, the Governors boldly said, despite the ongoing discovery of several hidden warehouses filled with Covid-19 palliatives, in the past few days.
Although, the Governors regretted the loss of lives and property occasioned by the violent protests that erupted after the ordered shooting of peaceful EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate, last Tuesday, in Lagos, they stressed that, “a lot of the information circulating on the social media needs to be fact-checked”.
“The NGF pleads with members of the public to desist from spreading rumours, which further create panic and stampede.
“For example, some of the properties stolen and vandalised, include palliatives set aside for vulnerable members of society.
“The NGF reemphasises and corrects the impression that palliatives found in warehouses that were broken into in Lagos and some other States, were kept in storage for members of the society, especially our vulnerable citizens”, the statement read in part.
According to the Governors, the erroneous impression in the public domain that these palliatives were hoarded is inaccurate, “entirely erroneous, and untrue”.
The NGF added that some of the palliatives had the CACOVID stamp embossed on them, meaning that their source is unambiguous.
“Until mid-October, when the NGF had its last meeting, up to ten States had not participated in the flag-off ceremonies for the distribution of palliatives in their States. This was because the items meant for distribution in these States had not been completely received from CACOVID”, the statement added.
The NGF explained that some of the States that still had palliatives in their warehouses, chose to keep a strategic reserve ahead of a projected second wave of Covid-19.
They said further that some States were still receiving palliatives from the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.
More news later…
