Nigeria’s 43 cabinet ministers have donated 50% of their March 2020 salaries to support the Federal Government’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has claimed.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, Mohammed quoted the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, as saying it was a gesture of solidarity and support for the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle the disease.
“This global virus outbreak will require nations, continents and smaller communities to pull together to contribute their resources and support one another. This will facilitate an early resolution of the problem, Mohammed further quoted Senator Saraki as saying in a statement by his aide, Segun Adeyemi.
The ministers also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his leadership role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Most Nigerians are not impressed by the attitude of government’s officials in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, it was reported that members of the House of Representatives took delivery of exotic cars worth over N30m each when the country was busy mopping up funds to combat the spread of the virus.
The House of Representatives has, however, denied the report.
Many individuals and corporate bodies, including a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, former vice president Atiku Abubakar and UBA, have donated to the fight against the pandemic.
As at Friday night, Nigeria has 81 confirmed cases of the coronavirus with only three recovery and one death recorded.
Experts are predicting that the number will surge in the coming week with the Commissioner of Health in Lagos saying Lagos State could have as high as 39,000 cases.
