I'm aware people became billionaires out of COVID-19 proceeds, federal lawmaker alleges
- Allegations of corruption have been raised regarding how funds earmarked for COVID-19 in the country are being spent
- A federal lawmaker, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, alleged that some people became billionaires from the misappropriation of the funds
- Nkem-Abonta's allegation comes amid House of Reps' decision to probe how the billions of naira budgeted for the COVID-19 response was spent
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
Honourable Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, the lawmaker representing Ukwa East and Ukwa West federal constituency of Abia state, has raised allegations of corruption regarding COVID-19 funds.
Channels TV reports that the lawmaker claimed that funds earmarked to address the coronavirus pandemic are being misappropriated.
Legit.ng notes that Nkem-Abonta made the allegation amid the House of Representative's commencement of a probe into how N83.9 billion appropriated for the response to COVID-19 in the 2020 Appropriation Act was spent.
Source: Facebook
The lawmaker described the probe as a welcomed development, noting that it will be difficult for Nigerians to believe COVID-19 is real when funds meant to check its spread are being stolen.
He added that COVID-19 had become a massive business in Nigeria, saying billions of naira have been announced as funds spent on addressing the COVID-19 challenges, but no one can explain how the money was spent.
His words:
"I am aware that people became billionaires out of Covid proceeds, out of Covid transactions. You saw what happened during the palliatives scandal and scramble. So it’s a whole chain going on and I pray that control should be put to it."
PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News Anywhere 24/7. Spend less on the Internet!
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Osagie Ehanire, the minister of health, said the federal government is expecting 15 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in February.
He disclosed this during the media briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja, on Monday, February 1.
Speaking on the source of the vaccine, he said the African Union allocated over 41 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nigeria, and of the total, 15 million doses facilitated through COVAX will arrive in February
Source: Legit.ng
