COVID-19 funds poorly managed – WARDC

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

A scalding report released by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and BudgIT has alleged that funds donated by financial institutions and private individuals to tackle the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic were poorly managed.

The report entitled ‘COVID-19 Accountability Tracker’ further accused the Federal Government of sidelining CSOs when receiving COVID-19 donations to assist indigent citizens.

WARDC Executive Director Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said, ‘in tracking COVID-19 funds and donations in Nigeria, available evidence suggests that apart from donations and grants from multilateral and bilateral agencies, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) created special funds and mobilise donations for an emergency response to Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in the country, to which corporate entities and private individuals contributed.

‘It also shows that the funds and other resources were kept as a trust or managed through other similar arrangements, which largely remain unrecorded as they were not regarded as government revenues.

‘As such, the funds and resources bypass parliamentary budget oversight and government financial management controls and processes.

‘This opens opportunities for corruption and lack of transparency and accountability.

‘Hence, the need to design an objective model or framework for managing the large-scale funds established to help address the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19; and also serve as a form of future preparedness to prevent and mitigate fraud and corruption risks related to public health crisis management and economic rescue measures.

‘In order to advance accountability and transparency in an environment deeply rooted in a profiteering culture and aversion to openness in the use of public funds, this framework should allow for the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including anti-corruption bodies, civil society and the private sector, and strong monitoring and evaluation processes, governments.’

Akiyode-Afolabi added that ‘FGN did not carry CSOs along while it was receiving COVID-19 donations or spending the funds.

‘Hence, the anti-corruption protocol for the Presidential Task Force in charge of monitoring procurements and financial transactions developed by ICPC for corruption prevention on COVID-19 relief measures was not far reaching.

‘Essentially, there was poor involvement of CSOs/ Local Authorities (CDAs, Traditional leaders) by the government agencies/bodies (Specialised committees [InterMinisterial Committee: PTF and the State Counterparts], specialised anticorruption agencies [EFCC & ICPC]/State MDAs/auditors) responsible for oversight and accountability in the in the distribution of relief materials/monitoring of the implementation of the funds under the COVID-19 emergency support packages.’

She recommended that government should ‘involve CSOs in the monitoring of the implementation of the funds under the COVID-19 emergency support packages for improved transparency and accountability by making them members of ad hoc committees responsible for oversight and accountability in the distribution of the relief provided; having consultation and discussions on the adoption of oversight and accountability mechanisms; and the monitoring of the implementation of the funds/ relief packages.’

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