Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Federal government has disowned the COVID-19 palliatives discovered in a Lagos warehouse, saying the items were not from it.
Rather,the government said the inscriptions seen on the back of the items indicated that they were donated by a coalition of some non-governmental organisations.
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development in a statement Thursday’s night,insisted that contrary to the belief in some quarters,the items were not from it.
The statement through Nneka Anibeze, Special Assistant to the Minister,Sadiya Umar Farouq,said the ministry was compelled to speak out with a view to clarifying issues following insinuations that the items were donated by the ministry.
It read in full:”The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development has been made aware of trending messages on and off social media alluding to the fact that Covid-19 palliatives found in a Lagos warehouse were from the ministry.
“This is nothing but a tissue of lies.The photos and videos recorded at the warehouse show that the bags of rice and other items were clearly marked ‘Lagos State Government and Ca-Covid’.
“Ca-Covid is short for Coalition Against Covid-19, a private sector led task force in partnership with the Federal Government, the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control NCDC and the World Health Organization WHO with the sole aim of combating Covid-19 in Nigeria.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Disaster Management and Social Development did not procure, distribute or facilitate the distribution of palliatives under the Ca-Covid initiative.
“The ministry therefore wishes to inform the general public that it has nothing to do with the items found in that Lagos warehouse.”
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