The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Transparency International Nigeria (TI Nigeria), has tasked the federal government to enure through the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) and its members including the Ministry of Health, its related departments and agencies that the distribution and vaccination process of the COVID-19 vaccine was transparent and accountable to the public.CISLAC/TI Nigeria in a press statement by the Executive Director,CISLAC Auwal Ibrahim Musa (Rafsanjani), Wednesday in Abuja, said: “CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria is pleased to learn that Nigeria has received about 3.9 million doses of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and the multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company Astra Zeneca.”CISLAC would like to thank the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility (COVAX) scheme formed to ensure fair access to vaccines for low and middle income states.
This initiative led by the World Health Organisation will ensure that no country is left behind according to the motto of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”CISLAC categorically states that the Nigerian government through the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) and its members as the Ministry of Health, its related departments and agencies must ensure that the distribution and vaccination process is transparent and accountable to the public.”The distribution of the COVID-19 palliatives has not been without challenges. Nigerians saw diversion and hoarding of palliatives that showed abuse of power.
We encourage the law enforcement to investigate Covid-19 relief abuses and corruption allegations.”We, along with other partners, have repeatedly pointed at credible allegations of corruption and abuse of power. For example, between July 2020 and January 2021, the #FollowCOVID19Money project wrote about 30 FOI requests to MDAs. Many agencies could not account for the relief funds.”We expect investigations and convictions for these crimes. The Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) the custodian of banking sector data showed that Nigerians trying to access several COVID-19 relief funds last year lost N2.75 billion to internet fraudsters and criminals that profit from lax security in the access to Covid-19 relief funds.”The executive director further noted that: “Nigeria 2021 federal budget has large appropriations for the pandemic relief activities. These funds must be judiciously used to avoid leakages and systemic corruption, witnessed in similar schemes in the past.”We welcome the adoption of the T.E.A.C.H: T:Traditional VaccinationCampaign Approach; E:Electronic Self-Registration by Eligible Nigerians; A:AssistedElectronic Registration of Eligible Nigerians; C:Concomitant Vaccination alongsideElectronic Registration; H:House-to-House Electronic Registration. This protocol should be strictly followed and independently monitored.”While outlining priority groups, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) mentioned Healthcare workers, front line workers (including the Military, Police, Oil and Gas workers, Border Post officials) and strategic leaders.
The last category of “strategic leaders” needs to be clearly explained to avoid ambiguity and suspicion amongst Nigerians. Verifiable data of vaccinated people must be pro-actively disclosed.”The Ministry of Health and NPHCDA need to ensure that representatives of the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) are carried along in the distribution and vaccination process. This should be done inline with the pro-active disclosure provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and the doctrine of openness.”
