Peoples Democratic party Chieftain, Bode George, has questioned the Federal Government’s response to the Coronavirus disease which has killed 25 people in Nigeria and left millions hungry and unemployed since the Federal Government enforced a lockdown in the affected states.
According to Chief Bode, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he is not impressed with the manner the Federal Government is fighting the war against Covid-19 in the country saying a medical expert should have been appointed as Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 instead of Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He also wondered how the Federal Government will cater for the low income earners during this lockdown.
“For me, there are lapses. It is not an administrative issue. They needed to have certain people with knowledge who are specialists in that level, who will give us detailed explanation of what this COVID-19 pandemic is all about so that Nigerians can get a full grasp of what we are dealing with”. Bode George told Daily Independent.
“Nigerians are currently lockdown at home for more than three weeks now. What is the alternative for low income earners, people who rely on daily income. How will they survive?”
“We need daily briefings on this issue. The Chief of Staff to the President passed on. Some said he died London, others said he was flown to Cuba while some said he died in Lagos here. Nobody got the right information. I don’t subscribe to the management at all.”
“How can the Secretary to the Government of the Federation be the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force? We need somebody with good expertise and knowledge of what the virus is. It is a war but we are fighting it with kid gloves. This is a war that you can’t see your enemy.”
“We need people to brief Nigerians on a daily basis. Who is giving us update? Nobody! We all feed on rumours and we don’t know what to believe”.
Chief George also said the manner in which President Muhammadu Buhari manages the country during this trying times will really show how much of a leader he is.
“We are going to face a serious economic crisis soon. With the price of oil, which is the major income for this country going below zero dollar. How will the government meet up with its monthly allocation to states? Coupled with COVID-19, it is a very dangerous and unstable wind that is blowing”.
“This is going to be a measure of the performance of government. Look at America and see what President Donald Trump is doing. Look at the Germans, they quickly organized themselves and struck at the heart of the disease. Nigeria needs to do more”, he said.
