Funke Busari, Lagos
As part of efforts to ensure interventions relating to the management of COVID-19 pandemic realizes its goals across communities in Nigeria, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP has launched a programme of action
to promote transparency and accountability in COVID-19 spending.
At a public presentation of a report titled: “10-Point Programme Of Action On Promoting Transparency And Accountability In COVID-19 Spending in Nigeria”, SERAP, argued that the project is a deliberate effort to implement safeguards against corruption in COVID-19 spending in the country.
The program, among other interventions, will engage public institutions, authorities and MDAs, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the National Assembly, and state governments.
Furthermore, SERAP will also use the latest intervention to mobilise and galvanize the citizens and civil society to hold governments to account for their spending on COVID-19; reduce the pandemic; save lives and promote socio-economic rights of the people.
SERAP said the justification for the program stemmed from the huge public funds and private donations that have been committed to halt the spread of COVID-19 virus, and the public concerns about the ability of all tiers of government to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of funds so far received.
According to the panel discussants who spoke to the subject: “Government Transparency Framework In Response To COVID-19: Challenges and Future Perspectives”, responses to health crisis such as COVID-19 should translate to people-oriented interventions, taking into cognisance the application of frameworks rather than theorising.
A professor of Law, Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, recommended the 10-Point Programme Of Action to governments at all levels, including all committees handling the COVID-19 funding and donation on the premise that the report was well researched and pragmatic.
