N226.8bn Raised Against COVID-19 Challenges – Fed Govt

A total of N226.85bn was mobilised from various sources in response to the COVID-19 pandemic between March and June 2020, the Federal Government said on Thursday.

It said this in the interim report on the special audit of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic for the period of 1st March to 30th June 2020.

The report was released by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation and signed by the the Auditor-General for the Federation, Anthony Ayine.

Nigeria reported its first case of COVID-19 on the February 27, 2020, while President  Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a 12-man Presidential Task Force on March 17, 2020.

The report stated that in the course of implementing the COVID-19 intervention activities, funds mobilised from various sources as of June 30, 2020 include N22.2bn disbursed by the Federal Government to the Presidential Task Force.

It said N24.6bn was disbursed by the Federal Government to the participating agencies, while N30.1bn was raised by the Coalition Against COVID-19 and was under their direct management.

The report stated that N17bn was paid directly by the Federal Government to some states as support, adding that N110.05bn in cash and in kind was raised by 12 international development partners and their intervention efforts were on-going in collaboration with the PTF.

The audit stated that N21bn was raised by the NNPC and its oil and gas sector partners and was under their direct management, while N1.9bn was donated by the public into designated accounts with five commercial banks.

The interim report also covered findings from the audit of transactions amounting to N4.9bn as at June 30, 2020 (N191m at the PTF and N4.7bn at participating agencies).

Ayine said the special audit was intended to provide timely and useful information and recommendations to government, the PTF, agencies participating in the response and various mitigations, and to other interested stakeholders.