We are no longer whites and blacks in the fight against COVID-19: Barr.Dalung
We are no more black or white, rich or poor, weak or strong, Muslims, Christians, Buddhist or others, but we are humanity. The invisible tsunami is reckless it does not recognise borders neither does it respect social status or power.” Solomon Dalung.
I woke up with a lot of reflections on my mind even wondering on what I should discuss on this platform. The terrific development around world is not only worrisome but also scary. Humanity is gradually been grounded not by nuclear weapons but probably by political miscalculations of power play. Nothing currently is working anywhere, ironically those who possess enormous wealth are not exempted from the situation of paupers. We all now share come destiny which is “lockdown”. Money has no role to play in the circumstance, the Italians worst affected by the pandemic invaded the streets destroying money as powerless while crying unto the master of the universe for intervention.
In our society here where money is worshipped as a god, our emergency billionaires and political elites have all abandoned their mansions and private jets as all ways lead to the villages. Those who remain in cities are self convicted covid inmates watching their world from satellite televisions or balcony. They have everything around them including stock pile of exotic currencies yet peace is lacking. On the other divide, the poor are fugitives of restrictions without certainty of survival since they live on daily struggles. They too have no peace because hunger stares at them and their families directly in the eyes. Humanity is casualty of invisible tsunami ravaging from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere without discrimination.
I salute the gallantry of our frontline heroes, the Medicare combatants, majority of them had sacrificed their lives for us to live. The Medicare garrison is fighting one of the most sophisticated warfare in contemporary history but ill equipped. Even in the so-called developed economies, the situation is not distinguishable. In the United States, the political leadership in overwhelmed with electioneering politics hence disregarded even common logic in dealing with the pandemic. Despite repeated early warnings, political will was missing in action globally except Germany and some European countries which left nothing to chance to planned ahead. The daily global statistics of death is competitive between the great economies. This indeed is alarming.
Also I commend the efforts of Nigerian patriots who freely donated hospital supplies and money to support the fight against Coronavirus. This Nigerian spirit is evidence of love and solidarity for our country men and women. We need more of these donations to reposition our health system infrastructure. Federal Government should put in place a machinery of investing these donations in equipping at least one teaching hospital in the six geo-political zone to world class standard. Each of these medical facilities should be upgraded with not less than one thousand bed spaces, respirators and ventilators. Mr. President should secure these funds in the custody of the Victims Support Committe of Gen. T.Y Danjuma for management. I urged Mr. President to resist the temptation of recycling faces that inspire little confidence of the citizens in administering the funds. Again, God bless those who had shown compassion to humanity by these donations.
Another critical area in the fight against Coronavirus is the imposition of restrictions as safety measures and stimulus package management. Majority of our population lives on daily subsistence meaning the make daily living by going out to fend. Lockdown as the only weapon of warfare against Coronavirus is indisputable but succour policy has to be put in place to augment survival. The people cannot escape the invisible tsunami just to be killed by hunger epidemic, this is where palliative administration is critical. Again, the private sector, NGOs, Faith based organisations and good Nigerians are doing marvellously in assisting neighbours with food supplies. May God replenished the sources from which it was brought. For now we need unity to defeat a common enemy, so all differences must be discarded for a common frontier.
Mr President in his national broadcast enumerated far reaching measures which includes restrictions in two states and Abuja. The Federal Goverment approved the release of #10 billion to Lagos State Goverment as frontline theatre while #5 billion was approved as stimulus package. Also, grains from the strategic reserves were ordered for distribution to the vulnerable. This is a welcome development and it is commendable. Ironically, the method of distribution or reach out has remained undisclosed till date. All we have seen recently is what I considered as palliative distribution comedy. Where top FG governments officials led by cabinet member was shown on national television networks sharing money to women. Thereafter, the beneficiaries were also seen rehearsing appreciation. This method is humiliating and should be reversed. What safety measures were put in place to guarantee the safety of the notes openly shared? Even if the notes were disinfected, the singular act of gathering women in one place in the manner done is a violation of the restrictions law. This looks like political approach to a serious problem.
Why did the Ministry of Humanitarian affairs failed to constitute states and local governments distribution committees for fair and effective administration of the palliative? When will the Minister go round the 774 LGs of the Federation? We cannot be doing the same thing every time and expect different results.There is urgent need to develop proactive measures of dealing with the aftermath of lockdown before we advance from virus pandemic to hunger epidemic. The administration of stimulus package must be free from partisanship or any form of discrimination since the virus does not either discriminate. For the first time let’s do justice to our population by fair administration of the palliative, it is the only way to mobilise the people to support the fight against the virus. It is suicidal to adopt comedy or drama as method of distributing money to women in Abuja when there is lockdown, where will they spend the money? why not distribute food supplies instead? This trade money strategy is an analogue political weapon always employed to manipulate the people since the colonial era.
Despite lack of consolidated national data, there are some credible sources like, BVN, voters card, phone line registration etc. The voters card and BVN can be better tools to be deployed for effective management of palliative, but it should be decentralised to the grassroots. The FG should constitute broad base committees of persons with proven integrity from all shade of opinions to administer the distribution of either food supplies or whatever form of support. Then Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs supervises compliance and efficacy of the distribution policy. The political elites cannot afford to gamble with this situation as everybody is at risk. This is no more campaign materials or “Kayan aiki”, therefore we cannot employ partisan or nepotistic tactics as usual. Humanity is facing extinction from this invisible tsunami and no stone should be left unturned in confronting the situation.
It is imperative that the implementation of the lockdown need periodic review to give it a human face. The method of enforcement by security agents must be professional. The destruction of properties of those who violate the law is unacceptable, shut down their shops or stores then arrest them but treating them like coup suspects of the military era is inhuman. They are merely trying to make a living, they are not terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbers or violent criminals. I stand with the masses who are mere victims of Coronavirus, my heart is with those who have lost their love ones, my spirit and prayers is with the frontline heroes and my support is with my country. May love and peace fill our hearts and spirits as we navigate this trying times. We are not Christians or Muslims, Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, Northerners or southerners, poor or rich, Minority or majority, APC or PDP, but we are humanity. Love you you all.
Happy Palm Sunday.
I woke up with a lot of reflections on my mind even wondering on what I should discuss on this platform. The terrific development around world is not only worrisome but also scary. Humanity is gradually been grounded not by nuclear weapons but probably by political miscalculations of power play. Nothing currently is working anywhere, ironically those who possess enormous wealth are not exempted from the situation of paupers. We all now share come destiny which is “lockdown”. Money has no role to play in the circumstance, the Italians worst affected by the pandemic invaded the streets destroying money as powerless while crying unto the master of the universe for intervention.
In our society here where money is worshipped as a god, our emergency billionaires and political elites have all abandoned their mansions and private jets as all ways lead to the villages. Those who remain in cities are self convicted covid inmates watching their world from satellite televisions or balcony. They have everything around them including stock pile of exotic currencies yet peace is lacking. On the other divide, the poor are fugitives of restrictions without certainty of survival since they live on daily struggles. They too have no peace because hunger stares at them and their families directly in the eyes. Humanity is casualty of invisible tsunami ravaging from the Northern to the Southern Hemisphere without discrimination.
I salute the gallantry of our frontline heroes, the Medicare combatants, majority of them had sacrificed their lives for us to live. The Medicare garrison is fighting one of the most sophisticated warfare in contemporary history but ill equipped. Even in the so-called developed economies, the situation is not distinguishable. In the United States, the political leadership in overwhelmed with electioneering politics hence disregarded even common logic in dealing with the pandemic. Despite repeated early warnings, political will was missing in action globally except Germany and some European countries which left nothing to chance to planned ahead. The daily global statistics of death is competitive between the great economies. This indeed is alarming.
Also I commend the efforts of Nigerian patriots who freely donated hospital supplies and money to support the fight against Coronavirus. This Nigerian spirit is evidence of love and solidarity for our country men and women. We need more of these donations to reposition our health system infrastructure. Federal Government should put in place a machinery of investing these donations in equipping at least one teaching hospital in the six geo-political zone to world class standard. Each of these medical facilities should be upgraded with not less than one thousand bed spaces, respirators and ventilators. Mr. President should secure these funds in the custody of the Victims Support Committe of Gen. T.Y Danjuma for management. I urged Mr. President to resist the temptation of recycling faces that inspire little confidence of the citizens in administering the funds. Again, God bless those who had shown compassion to humanity by these donations.
Another critical area in the fight against Coronavirus is the imposition of restrictions as safety measures and stimulus package management. Majority of our population lives on daily subsistence meaning the make daily living by going out to fend. Lockdown as the only weapon of warfare against Coronavirus is indisputable but succour policy has to be put in place to augment survival. The people cannot escape the invisible tsunami just to be killed by hunger epidemic, this is where palliative administration is critical. Again, the private sector, NGOs, Faith based organisations and good Nigerians are doing marvellously in assisting neighbours with food supplies. May God replenished the sources from which it was brought. For now we need unity to defeat a common enemy, so all differences must be discarded for a common frontier.
Mr President in his national broadcast enumerated far reaching measures which includes restrictions in two states and Abuja. The Federal Goverment approved the release of #10 billion to Lagos State Goverment as frontline theatre while #5 billion was approved as stimulus package. Also, grains from the strategic reserves were ordered for distribution to the vulnerable. This is a welcome development and it is commendable. Ironically, the method of distribution or reach out has remained undisclosed till date. All we have seen recently is what I considered as palliative distribution comedy. Where top FG governments officials led by cabinet member was shown on national television networks sharing money to women. Thereafter, the beneficiaries were also seen rehearsing appreciation. This method is humiliating and should be reversed. What safety measures were put in place to guarantee the safety of the notes openly shared? Even if the notes were disinfected, the singular act of gathering women in one place in the manner done is a violation of the restrictions law. This looks like political approach to a serious problem.
Why did the Ministry of Humanitarian affairs failed to constitute states and local governments distribution committees for fair and effective administration of the palliative? When will the Minister go round the 774 LGs of the Federation? We cannot be doing the same thing every time and expect different results.There is urgent need to develop proactive measures of dealing with the aftermath of lockdown before we advance from virus pandemic to hunger epidemic. The administration of stimulus package must be free from partisanship or any form of discrimination since the virus does not either discriminate. For the first time let’s do justice to our population by fair administration of the palliative, it is the only way to mobilise the people to support the fight against the virus. It is suicidal to adopt comedy or drama as method of distributing money to women in Abuja when there is lockdown, where will they spend the money? why not distribute food supplies instead? This trade money strategy is an analogue political weapon always employed to manipulate the people since the colonial era.
Despite lack of consolidated national data, there are some credible sources like, BVN, voters card, phone line registration etc. The voters card and BVN can be better tools to be deployed for effective management of palliative, but it should be decentralised to the grassroots. The FG should constitute broad base committees of persons with proven integrity from all shade of opinions to administer the distribution of either food supplies or whatever form of support. Then Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs supervises compliance and efficacy of the distribution policy. The political elites cannot afford to gamble with this situation as everybody is at risk. This is no more campaign materials or “Kayan aiki”, therefore we cannot employ partisan or nepotistic tactics as usual. Humanity is facing extinction from this invisible tsunami and no stone should be left unturned in confronting the situation.
It is imperative that the implementation of the lockdown need periodic review to give it a human face. The method of enforcement by security agents must be professional. The destruction of properties of those who violate the law is unacceptable, shut down their shops or stores then arrest them but treating them like coup suspects of the military era is inhuman. They are merely trying to make a living, they are not terrorists, kidnappers, armed robbers or violent criminals. I stand with the masses who are mere victims of Coronavirus, my heart is with those who have lost their love ones, my spirit and prayers is with the frontline heroes and my support is with my country. May love and peace fill our hearts and spirits as we navigate this trying times. We are not Christians or Muslims, Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, Northerners or southerners, poor or rich, Minority or majority, APC or PDP, but we are humanity. Love you you all.
Happy Palm Sunday.
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