COVID-19: Arewa group warns Buhari against giving money to Northern governors

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has urged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government not to give money to Northern governors under the pretext of fighting Coronavirus.

CNG warned that the governors would abuse such funds if given to them.

The group gave the call in a statement signed by its spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman.

The statement read: “CNG frowns on the incoherent response to the COVID-19 by most northern state governments that only pay lip services to the issue of provision of equipped isolation and treatment centres and palliatives to communities affected by their lockdown orders.

“We frown on the focus of the northern governors on demanding funds from the federation account in the pretext of fighting the spread of the pandemic.

“In this regard, CNG recalls the scandalous controversies that trailed the squander of bailout grants for the settlement of salary arrears by most state governments.

“We urge the Federal Government not to succumb to the states’ demand for funds for fear that they would not be put to judicious use as with the salary bailouts.

“And if the Federal Government is disposed to granting the funds to the states, the Northern group stressed that mechanism should be set up in form of committee comprising of credible elders and community leaders in each state to monitor the process of the disbursements and ensuring the judicious use of the funds for the purpose they are meant.”

This is coming at a time when confirmed cases of COVID-19 hit 407 in Nigeria.