By Musa Odoshimokhe
Southwest Youth Forum (SWYF) has urged the Federal Government to ensure donations and palliatives to the people pass through their immediate communities.
It added that alternative measures should be devised to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID 19) instead of total lockdown of the country.
In a statement, SWYF national coordinator, Mr. Biola OttunCoker said the distribution of palliatives had been hijacked became of the gap in the distribution chain.
He explained that the pandemic had exposed the level of shortsightedness and lack of plan for the poor people, stressing efforts should be deployed to eradicate poverty.
According to him, the country was facing case of extreme poverty, noting that the fallout of COVID 19 made the situation very obvious.
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OttunCoker said while Nigerians struggle to overcome the pains of poverty while elected officials were busy addressing issues that appeared to have direct bearing with the commoners.
“Consequences, the Nigerian government went ahead to budget N37 Billion for the National Assembly to renovate its complex that was constructed for N10.7 billion when the country return to democracy in 1999.
“The country’s human development indicates the poverty line is increasing geometrically. Persistent poverty affects more than half of the population. In addition, Nigeria is also subject to periodic droughts and floods; these have adversed impact on agricultural output and increased the vulnerability of populations.
“With outbreak of COVID 19, one expects palliative measure to be directed to the vast Nigerians, especially those in the informal sectors of the economy. They live on daily income and worst hit by the pandemic. Government uncoordinated action has add more salts to injury of majority of Nigerians by declaring Lockdown.
“What is the justification for total Lockdown and partial palliatives? As youth representatives, we humbly want to demands that government must listen to its citizens, know their plight and suffering.
“But Nigeria government is blind to reality and key statistics in the country. Majority of Nigerians are negatively affected by the lockdown especially those in the informal sector.”v
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