COVID-19: DEVELOPMENTAL EXPERT SLAMS FG OVER DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS "TO POOREST OF NIGERIANS".

"This is another opportunity to loot our national treasury even at a time when the entire world is going through a very difficult ordeal as a result of the COVID-19 PANDEMIC".... Onuesoke

"No doubt, all hands must be on deck in the fight against the spread of the pandemic covid-19 but we must go about with tactfulness".


A Community Developmental expert has berated the Federal Government for its propagandist tendencies especially as it relates to the disbursement of funds targeted at alleviating the "poor nigerians" during this COVID-19 Pandemic.

Chief Sunny Onuesoke, a vocal voice representing thousands of voiceless Nigerians, stressed that one unfortunate thing about this APC/Buhari led federal government, is their penchant for telling lies and spewing media propaganda hence they cannot be trusted. 

Onuesoke gave this assertion on Monday in Warri, the commercial capital of Delta state while fielding questions from members of the press during an Online chart.

Reacting to some of the questions, Onuesoke expressed his disatisfaction concerning claims by the government of having distributed over three billion naira to nigerians in the last few days.

"How many poor Nigerians have you seen acknowledge the receipt or alert of twenty thousand naira (#20,000:00) from the federal government? Coming to say they have started the distribution of twenty thousand naira (#20,000:00) to poor Nigerians without any single proof to it, is a big lie".

The one time governorship aspirant under the platform of thr Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stated that, "this is is another opportunity to loot our national treasury even at a time when the entire world is going through a very difficult ordeal as a result of the COVID-19 PANDEMIC". 

"What are the criteria used in arriving or ascertaining the poor and vulnerable? He asked?

"As a Community Development Expert, I can categorically say that the federal government does not have a database to define the poor and vulnerable across Nigeria because, most of them do not even have a bank account not to talk of BVN. It is just an avenue to loot and siphon the national treasury for personal gain and aggrandizement".

"If truly the federal government is sincere about providing social palliatives to cushion the effect of the lockdown, they would provide 24 hours electricity with subsidized or free tariff for the people", he stated.  

"You ask people to stay home without electricity and the enabling environment to obey such an order. Even if they cannot order the power Distribution Companies to supply electricity free for the period of the lockdown, a responsible government would double effort to ensure 24hrs supply of electricity during the period of the lockdown". 

"For example, having refrigerators and electric stoves is crucial for good health in a time like this. Without electricity, food cannot be refrigerated or frozen. Buying and storing food in bulk is not an option", he said.

Tasked on the brutalization of citizens by security agents, especially the military during the period of lockdown that resulted to the death of a young man in Warri, Onuesoke expressed his sadness even as he condemned the incident. 

"I totally condemn any act of brutality by men of the Nigerian army in their effort to enforce the stay at home order. The military ought to have carried out this noble task with high sense of civility and restraints", he said. 

"Overtime, there has been cases and reports of army brutality and violation of human rights whenever they are called upon to maintain public harmony and in most cases, nothing has been done about that". 

"I think it is high time the federal government and the Military High Command looks into these cases and ensure that culprits of such brutality be made to face the full wrath of the law as that should serve as a deterrent to others". 

He noted that, what is expected of them in enforcing the lockdown is professionalism, restraints and tact, not forgetting the fact that we are not at war. It is a 'stay at home' order. 

"No doubt, all hands must be on deck in the fight against the spread of the pandemic covid-19 but we must go about with tactfulness", he advised.