Former vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has tasked the Federal Government and other concerned agencies on proper accountability and clarity on the use of funds raised to combat the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
Mr Obi, who spoke during an interview called on the government to carry the people along by clearly accounting for the inflow and outflow of COVID-19 funds.
He said it was not enough for the government to say that a particular amount had been spent without clearly breaking down what the funds were spent on.
He explained that the funds were public funds and as such the public should not be kept in the dark on the breakdown of expenditures of such funds.
Obi also advised the government to adjust its fiscal and monetary policies to suit the challenging times facing the Nigerian economy at the moment, noting that excessive borrowing without good cause could cripple the economy further.
He advised that every planned federal expenditure be completely scrutinised to be sure it was worth it, as reckless spending of government funds at this critical time would bear down on the economy which, he said, was already wounded by debts, political irresponsibility and now coronavirus pandemic.
The former Anambra State governor called on the government to truly factor in the poor and vulnerable into their distribution of relief packages for the COVID-19 lockdown.
“Statistics show that over 40 million Nigerians were unemployed and 19 million Nigerians living below the poverty level when life was considered normal. With the current situation in the country and around the world, I can tell you that the numbers will be higher now,” he noted.
Obi urged the government to ensure that funds mapped out for relief packages trickle down to the poor and unemployed people in the society.
