TheCable

A group known as The Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) has asked federal government not to use budget cuts as an excuse to sack workers. 

The federal government had revised the 2020 budget due to the crash in the price of oil and other effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy.

In a statement, Adewale Adeoye, publicity secretary, said Nigeria’s historic dependence on crude oil is at “wit’s end”.

He said unlike other oil-producing nations, Nigeria has little to show for six decades of oil exploration, production and exports, other than facilitating “crude accumulation by state actors through massive looting of state resources”.

“The government and the private sector must resist an easy recourse to job cuts and reduction of public spending on social services especially healthcare services,” it said.

“The COVID-19 crisis has worsened the vulnerability of all working people and the least protected in society.

“It is highlighting deep economic and social inequalities and inadequate health and social protection systems that require urgent attention as part of the public health response.

“The impact of lock-downs on jobs, livelihoods, access to services, including health care, food, water, education and social services, safety at home, adequate standards of living and family life has been severe.”

He said COVID-19 has proved that the future of every country rests on the production of goods and services and not “a cosmetic programme” that is solely dependent on foreign products.

Listing economic measures that should be initiated, Adeoye asked the government to double the budgets for healthcare, public sanitation, water supply, and public education.

“Increase funding for PPEs and adequate compensation for healthcare professionals in the frontline of COVID-19; intensify massive testing and building more well – equipped isolation centers with adequate provision for the care of those in isolation; a separate stimulus package for the informal sector through their cooperatives and organizations to boost local economies,” he said.

“Increased spending on public education would allow decongesting overcrowded classrooms by employing more teachers and urgently building more classrooms before children will resume school.

“Doubling public expenditure in these areas will bridge huge gaps in service provision in these critical areas which are important for the early containment of COVID-19.”