Buhari’s broadcast worse than COVID-19 – Timi Frank

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Monday, berated President Muhammadu Buhari over his broadcast on Sunday evening which, he said, was pre-recorded, noting the  broadcast was a monumental embarrassment to Nigerians.

Timi Frank decried that Buhari disappointed Nigerians in the broadcast, noting that it did not qualified as a “presidential crisis broadcast” when juxtaposed with what world leaders are providing for their citizens at this global crisis period.

“The broadcast was worse than COVID-19 because it failed to outline a specific roadmap on how Nigeria can win this invisible war.

“Any measure from the Federal Government that does not advance Nigeria’s response to the COVID-19 will ultimately hurt Nigerians.

“The President has not only lost precious response time, he is yet losing time while the rate of infection is steadily growing in the country.

“Nigerians were highly disappointed that instead of a live broadcast – with the media given the opportunity to seek clarifications for the benefit of Nigerians – the President opted for a pre-recorded and stilted message.

“He only played back to Nigerians what most experts have recommended and which many state governments have already started implementing.

“While Ghana with about 28 million population is attacking the pandemic with $100 million, Nigeria with over 200 million people is approaching the virus with a paltry N15 billion which translates to roughly $40 million going by the prevailing exchange rate. Are we being serious and responsive here,” Timi Frank declared in a statement in Abuja.

Timi Frank advocated that corporate individuals and big businesses making donations for the fight against coronavirus in Nigeria should rather partner state governments to ensure prudent usage of the intervention funds.

He declared: “They should rather partner with individual state governments to ensure that the funds are prudently spent like the example that GTBank has done in partnership with the Lagos State Government by erecting a 100-bed hospital for the isolation and treatment of confirmed cases.”

Timi Frank further decried: “Buhari only told Nigerians what they already knew – things many state governments have already implemented. Yet, all palliatives promised by the President will be delivered in ‘coming weeks.

“The President failed to tell Nigerians about the testing capacity of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that is leading the charge against this deadly virus in the country.

“How many people can the NCDC test per day and what medical exigences are needed to successful treat confirmed cases and ensure that they resume their normal lives?

“How many people are going to benefit from the conditional cash transfer.  How many IDPs will benefit from the two months food rations being planned by Buhari in ‘the coming weeks?

“Nigerians are aware that the school feeding programme of the Federal Government has performed wonderfully in theory. How does the President want to feed children that are not in school?

“Buhari restricted movement in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT for two weeks, however, he failed to say when most civil servants, especially, in the FCT that have not been paid will receive their salaries.

“How are these categories of workers expected to cope with the lockdown without a Kobo in their pockets?

“All over the world, no government has restricted media coverage of the ongoing pandemic, but Buhari said those in Abuja and Lagos can only move if they can prove they cannot work from home!

“Do media houses operate newsrooms or broadcast stations from the homes of their respective employees?

“I think Nigerians deserve something better from their President in the face of this global scourge.”

Timi Frank commended Nigerians for their resilience in this trying moment and prayed for quick recovery for those undergoing treatment as a result of the virus.