COVID-19: YIAGA asks n’assembly to pass economic stimulus bill

YIAGA Africa, a policy advocacy group, has asked the national assembly to pass the emergency economic stimulus bill.

Both chambers of the national assembly had suspended sitting following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, but the legislators are set to resume plenary sessions on Tuesday.

The country had recorded 44 cases and one death from the disease when the national assembly embarked on a recess, but as of Monday evening, Nigeria recorded 1,337 cases, out of which 255 patients have been discharged and with 40 deaths recorded.

In a statement on Monday, Samson Itodo, YIAGA executive director, said the resumption of legislative work will strengthen Nigeria’s response to the pandemic.

Giving recommendations to the national assembly, YIAGA asked the legislature to adopt electronic parliaments and subject executive actions to legislative scrutiny.

It also recommended an increase in appropriation to the health sector, as well as the provision of a framework for managing public health crises in Nigeria.

“Given the shutdown of the National Assembly to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus, it has become imperative for the NASS to integrate e-parliament into legislative action fully,” it said.

“The NASS should, in the spirit of transparency, engage with critical stakeholders, especially citizens, civil society, media, faith-based organizations, etc. in holding the executive to account for its actions.

“The Senate should expeditiously consider the Emergency Economic Stimulus bill as passed by the House and transmit to the President for assent. The NASS should harmonize the bill with the proposed N500 billion fiscal Stimulus package of the executive, as both proposals seek to provide the required resources to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the economy and citizens.

“As noted above, the current 2020 budget seems be rendered unrealistic due to severe decline in the budget benchmark; therefore, the NASS should, without further delay, review and amend the budget in line with current economic realities.”

YIAGA also asked for an investigation into human rights abuses by security agencies and the introduction of measures to curb human rights violations during the lockdown.

“The Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Army, and the Ebonyi State Task Force on COVID-19 were jointly responsible for the death of 18 citizens. The country has also witnessed a significant rise in sexual and gender-based violence during this time,” it said.

“The NASS should investigate these abuses and ensure accountability through its relevant committees. The NASS should call on the Executive to introduce special measures during this period to guarantee protection and real-time response to survivors of violence and human rights violations, especially for women and girls.”