The anti-graft agencies are the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr Hamzat Lawal, Founder of “Follow The Money”, an initiative under Connected Development (CODE), an NGO, made the call in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Lawal said that the call for investigation became imperative following the discovery of government storehouses for COVID-19 palliatives and the looting spree of these food and material resources across the country.

“It should be recalled that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic early this year, the Follow The Money team across the 36 States had been tracking intervention funds and materials disbursed to State Governments to cushion the impact of the pandemic.

“A total of 57 Freedom of Information letters were received by 27 State Government agencies, requesting details of COVID-19 funds and the distribution of palliatives but only six states responded.

“They assured that palliatives were distributed accordingly, even though they refused to provide details of distribution and evidence of the same.

“The discovery of palliatives hideouts further indicates a systemic failure in governance and a distrust in leadership.’’

Lawal said that there was no reason the distribution of the items should have been delayed knowing that the coronavirus pandemic worsened the country’s economic situation and increased poverty level.

He said that the discovery further exposed the rot and persistent corruption in the Nigerian system.

“The Nigerian government continues to thwart the possibility of gaining the trust of its citizens, especially with its opacity and poor accountability, which have now materialised in a mob action and heavy looting of COVID-19 palliatives,’’ he said

Lawal said that there was an urgent need for the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to prioritise addressing the lapses identified ranging from operational mistakes to gross mismanagement of logistics, leading to the recent palliatives looting.

He said that the EFCC and the ICPC should thoroughly investigate procurement fraud and mishandling of COVID-19-related funding and resources at State and Federal level, bringing culprits to justice.

He added that the National Assembly should also hold public hearings on the Palliatives looting and citizens properly briefed on outcomes.

He added that public officials should be held accountable for the lapses in efficiency adding that Nigerians deserved better public service delivery.

Ms Kevwe Oghide,Communications Director, CODE, said that the Follow The Money movement under CODE was initiated to advocate, visualise and track government spending and international aid.

Oghide added that the initiative lets Nigerians to know how effective these funds had been in the rural communities.

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Mrs Nnena Akajemeli, the National Coordinator, SERVICOM, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja as part of event to mark the World Customer Service Week (CSW).

“My message to the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), all of the promises in their mandates, in their mandates, in their service charters, all of the standards exactly what government has established them to do.

“All of the promises contained there, should be turned into reality and the reality is excellence service delivery, the reality is that magic that we want, disseminated at every service window.

“So that indeed, when we do this, people will begin to trust government, people will begin to trust CEOs, people would begin to trust even their offices.

“So when we don’t serve people everybody is a looser when we don’t serve delightful service, but when we serve delightful service, everybody is a winner.

“And so we are calling that, that magic should begin to cash up with every service provider.

“And indeed, the message to the service sticker is to ensure that they engage and hold providers accountable so that we can record even more magic in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),”she said.

While receiving SERVICOM and other nodal officers of SERVICOM units of MDAs, Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), appreciated SERVICOM for its services to Nigerians.

Mustapha, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Service Office, office of SGF, said Services delivery was the corner stone to success and the justification of any employment.

“Services delivery is the corner stone to success and the justification of our employment, we owe it to Nigerians; it is our obligation to deliver quality services to all Nigerians from one end to another.

“There is no way we can define the beginning and the end of service delivery, it is a continuous exercise, it ranges from the way you look at somebody and smile, welcoming the person to your office.

“Describing your responsibility and the reason why you are performing in such responsibility, “ he said.

He also promised to support SERVICOM in whatever service engagement it has for the nation.

Also speaking, Mrs Patience Musa, Public Awareness Manager of SERVICOM, said the essence of the customers service week was to sensitise Nigerians on the need by all MDAs and other government establishments to deliver quality service.

Musa explained that MDAs have vital roles to play in order to achieve the aim of CSW, adding that this could only be possible through SERVICOM units of the MDAs to improve on such service needed by the citizens.

She added that the essence of governance could also be achieved to the citizenry through SERVICOM units across MDAs.

Mr Yakubu Mohammed, Director General, NTA, who was represented by Dr Steve Egbo, Executive Director, Administration and Training, assured SERVICOM of the collaboration to promote service delivery to achieve the objectives of SERVICOM.

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