By Ere-ebi Agedah Imisi
As individuals, families and businesses make efforts to navigate through the effects of Covid-19 pandemic, a vast majority of Nigerians believe that interventions from local and foreign donors targeted at mitigating the effects of the pandemic did not reach the intended beneficiaries.
They attributed this to embezzlement and official corruption.
This is the outcome of a recent survey conducted by Afro Barometer in partnership with NOIPolls a group that prides itself as a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network which provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.
According to the research led by NOIPolls, 83 percent of adult Nigerians interviewed nationally believe that a lot of resources intended for Covid-19 response were corruptly siphoned while only two percent think that the interventions were not embezzled.
The outcome made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Chief Executive Officer , NOIPolls, Dr Chike Nwangwu also reveals that the country has witnessed vaccine-hesitancy because some citizens believe the pandemic does not exist.
“Citizens who say they are unlikely to get vaccinated cite a variety of reasons for their hesitancy, including that COVID-19 doesn’t exist (29%), that COVID-19 is not serious or life-threatening (18%), and that they do not trust the vaccine or are worried about fake vaccines (14%)” the report says.
It also noted that one-third of Nigerian adults say they are unlikely to try to get vaccinated against COVID-19, even as less than four in 10 citizens report having received a vaccination against the virus.
Also Speaking, Dr Ruquyya Wamakko, Director PHC FCT urged those unvaccinated to ensure that they get their vaccines from the closest PHC adding that it is harmless.
Highlighting further on the economic impact, the research indicates that three in 10 citizens say someone in their household lost a job, a business, or a primary source of income due to the pandemic, but only a few reported receiving government assistance to weather the impact.
About nine out of ten Nigerians, representing 89 percent report that their homes did not receive Covid-19 relief assistance from the government to assuage to effects of the pandemic.
Recall that the country witnessed invasion of warehouses suspected to be store houses of Covid-19 palliatives in 2020. States like Lagos, Plateau among others were looted.
