By The Peoples Democratic Party has called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to dissolve the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, saying the committee has not demonstrated any capacity in handling the pandemic beyond the announcement of infection figures.
The PTF, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, was established on March 9, 2020 by the President to oversee the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, Buhari extended its mandate till March 2021.
The opposition party said in place of the PTF, a team of health experts should be converged in a special department.
This was contained in a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday.
“More distressing is that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has not demonstrated any capacity beyond mere announcement of figures of infected persons, deaths, recoveries, discharges and issues of local protocols rather than engaging in epidemiology, researches and production of equipment, drugs, therapeutics and other medical palliatives that can help stave off the impact of the global pandemic.
“On account of this, the PDP restates our demands for the dissolution of the PTF and in its place allow a convergence of experts in a special department under the purview of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control to professionally tackle the pandemic,” the PDP said.
The PDP said it was shocked by the failure of the present administration to make provision for acquisition of essential therapeutics in the 2021 budget.
It added, “It is indeed the height of leadership failure that the Federal Government has not been able to take a decision on the type and quantity of vaccines expected as well as ancillary facilities and associated logistics.
“The PDP is however not surprised at such governance indolence and confusion as the current system under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch is plagued by endemic corruption, mediocrity, incompetence and laissez-faire attitude to issues that have to do with the wellbeing of Nigerians.
“Our party rejects the use of the pandemic as corruption drainpipe for All Progressives Congress leaders and their cronies in government circles.”
