FG declares N1.689b as public support donations for COVID-19

As private sector coalition raises N27.1b
Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) has declared that the public sector raised N1.689b for the months of April and May 2020 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

It said the money had been kept in designated banks, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, explained that the amount represented donations and support from the government and development partners for April and May.

However, the CBN had last month declared N27.160b donations from the private sector coalition in efforts to pool resources to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

In a statement issued by Director of Press and Information in the OAGF, Henshaw Ogubike, the AGF said, “Government has announced that N1. 689b was received as COVID-19 eradication support donations from April 1 to May 31, 2020 through designated commercial banks, the CBN and TSA.”

The Guardian recalled that the Federal Government, through the OAGF, recently opened accounts in commercial banks in addition to the CBN/TSA account, through which donations for COVID-19 could be made to ensure effective and efficient coordination and management of the funds.

He said, “Details of the N1.689b received from when the accounts were opened on April 1, 2020 to May 31, 2020, indicated that N792m was received from April 1 to May 8, 2020, while N897.6m was received from between May 9 and May 31, 2020.

“From the N 897.6m, government received N710.076m through commercial banks, while N187.559m was received through the CBN/TSA.”

Meanwhile, the CBN last month announced that the Nigeria Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) had so far raised N27.160b to help fight the scourge.

Update on the contributions as at April 23, was revealed in a document released by CBN’s Director of Communications, Isaac Okorafor on behalf of the coalition detailing the list of contributors and their donations.