COVID-19 Pandemic: open all National Food And Grain Reserves, distribute food nationwide – PDP House of Reps caucus tells Buhari
ABIODUN JIMOH
President Muhammadu Buhari has been tasked as a matter of utmost urgency to open up all national food and grain reserves across the country and distribute food to the poor across the country at the local government level.
The President is hereby urged to issue an Executive Order in pursuant to his powers preserved by Section 5 of the Constitution 1999, to direct the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, National Food Reserve Agency and National Emergency Management Authority to release and manage the distribution of food in the national reserves.
This was contained in statement made available to Daily Dispatch on Thursday by Hon. Kingsley O. Chinda, Leader, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus at the House of Representatives, Abuja.
The Caucus leader confirmed that the Executive Order must set out clear consequences for breach, particularly as related to public officials who seize on the times to make brisk businesses and gains from the miseries of the people.
He hereby suggested that other measures such as food prices control should be ramped up; though specific, targeted and temporary legislation on food prices control will be needed for enforcement.
“This is where the National Assembly comes in by establishing framework of teleconferencing and social media communication, where the current lockdown and the medical advisories that bar public gatherings make it impossible for the reconvening of the National Assembly, to deliberate and pass such bills, as the Food Prices Control, Covid-19 Containment, Emergency and Disaster Management, into law.
“Whilst we commend the House for the Emergency Bill passed on 17th March before closure to provide palliatives, these perilous times require creative thinking on the part of institutions of state and personages of power.
“Again, as a Caucus, we laud and fully align with the Leadership of the House under Speaker Gbajiabiamila in leading members to volunteer their two month’s salaries to assist our vulnerable constituents at this trying time.
“But we must add that the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the leadership of the House should consider sending the voluntary donations of our caucus members directly to their various states as we are most dissatisfied with the inefficient, ineffective and inequitable method of distribution of palliatives by the Federal Government.
“We do hope that the leaderships of both arms of the National Assembly will accept our request for legislative response and intervention and quickly too.
“Finally, as we all enter day three of the national lockdown, we call on law enforcement personnel to exercise restraint in enforcing the restriction of movement everywhere. The right to life and dignity of human person as enshrined in our Constitution hasn’t been suspended.
“So they must continue to display professionalism in the discharge of their duties and ensure they keep our constituents out of harm’s way, as it is easy for them to become vectors or super spreaders of the virus if they don’t abide by the guidelines issued by the National Centre for Disease Control.”
Furthermore, he expressed: “We will frown at and exercise our constitutional powers as legislators to address any unreasonable act by the security officers in enforcing the lock down.
“Consequently and in line with our release of 20th March 2020, we demand as follows: That the Federal Government should maximise the two weeks lockdown and open up free testing and treatment centres in all zones in the country.
“Also to step down VAT and give partial tax holiday on essential commodities for two months; make electricity available and free for citizens within the period of total lockdown; disburse the sum of five billion Naira as business loans in every state of the federation to stimulate SMEs and business in the country.
“The House of Representatives should send directly to the various states the donations of their state representatives. Come up with additional E
