Stop playing politics with lives —BUA hits CACOVID
The private sector-led coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has disowned the statement by the BUA group, stating that the company has purchased one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria.
The Moment Nigeria report that in a statement issued earlier on Monday, the BUA Group had announced that it had secured one million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, through the AfreximBank vaccine programme in partnership with CACOVID.
The company added that the vaccine doses would be distributed to Nigerians at no cost.
However, in a statement by the CACOVID operations committee, the coalition denied that BUA would singlehandedly secure the doses, adding that purchase of the vaccine cannot be done by individuals or companies, but only through the federal government.
According to CACOVID, the agreement was that $100 million would be contributed for the purchase of one million doses, in order to ensure that Nigeria meets up with the February 8 deadline for the down payment on the first tranche.
“CACOVID is dismayed to learn of reports on social media today alleging that BUA is singlehandedly purchasing 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses for Nigeria. Alhaji Rabiu Abdulsamad must have been misquoted because these claims are not factual as CACOVID operates on a collegiate fund contribution model. There is no agreement between BUA, CACOVID and Afreximbank,” the statement reads.
“During the CACOVID weekly call of February 8th, Governor Emefiele, relayed to the larger group a call that he held with Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Herbert Wigwe with Afreximbank President, Benedict Oramah, on Sunday Feb 7th. President Oramah briefed the 3 CACOVID leaders on the $2 billion facility the Bank has set up with the African Union Vaccine taskforce to purchase vaccines for the African Continent. The allocation for Nigeria has been capped at 42 million doses. President Oramah explained that 1 million doses were ready for shipment to Nigeria in the next 2 weeks if a down payment was made by today, February 8th.
“At today’s meeting, CACOVID leadership agreed to contribute $100 million to procure vaccines for Nigeria, these 1 million doses from Afreximbank worth $3.45 million, being the very first tranche. CACOVID will purchase vaccines through other credible and subsidised mechanisms such as COVAX.
“The vaccines will be delivered to Nigeria and distributed through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
“CACOVID would like the Nigerian public to understand that vaccine purchase is only possible through the Federal Government of Nigeria, and that no individual or company can purchase vaccines directly from any legitimate and recognised manufacturer.”
Reacting to the development, BUA, in another statement, asked CACOVID to stop playing games with Nigerian lives.
BUA said while other CACOVID members refused to offer the donation to secure the vaccine, it offered to do so by making a payment of $3,450,000,000, which is N1.311 billion, to the CBN.
“BUA receives with utter shock, reports allegedly attributed to CACOVID, disowning its earlier payment through CACOVID for 1 million AstraZena doses for Nigeria via the AFREXIM vaccine platform,” it said.
“At the cacovid steering committee meeting held today February 8, 2021 (of which BUA is a member), members were informed by the CBN Governor that CACOVID had been given the opportunity through the Afrexim Platform to access and pay for 1million dose, provided payment was made today or tomorrow failure which the opportunity to get those doses next week may be lost.
“After extensive deliberation, there was no agreement reached and despite members being offered the opportunity to donate funds towards procuring the doses, none offered. BUA then took it upon itself to offer to pay for the 1million doses at the agreed rate of US$3.45 per dose totaling US$3,450,000,000.00 which translates to 1.311 billion Naira.”
BUA said the disclaimer by CACOVID operations committee shows that “some members of CACOVID were not happy that BUA took this initiative in the interest of Nigeria and to ensure that the deadline was met to receive the 1 million doses of the vaccine next week”.
It alleged that a prominent member of CACOVID is not happy with the donation, but added that this is no time for politics.
“BUA did this gesture in good faith as it has done with its interventions throughout the pandemic. We will however like to state clearly that we are aware that a prominent member of CACOVID is not happy that BUA took the initiative to pay for the vaccines – fulfilling our pledge just as we said during the meeting. Now they want to scuttle it by this action because they were unable to take the initiative,” it said.
“We find this release by CACOVID to be very petty and unbecoming of seemingly serious corporate citizens because it is tantamount to playing politics with the lives of Nigerians. This is no time for politics. It is time for us to come together to help Nigerians and it does not matter who is helping or paying.
“We stand ready to keep supporting and despite this petty action we have decided to le the money remain in the CACOVID Account with the CBN pending when they are ready to utilize the funds for Nigerians to access the vaccines.”
