By Modupe Gbadeyanka
On Thursday, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, informed the parliament that he was shock at the poor state of healthcare system in Nigeria.
This statement by Mr Mustapha, who was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce for the Control of Coronavirus pandemic, did not go down well with some Nigerians, who lambasted him for it.
But the leadership of all Progressives Congress (APC) Mandate Defenders, in a statement, signed on Friday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Ifeanyi Emeka, said the SGF should be commended for his honest opinion.
The group said it totally supports the PTF Chairman for revealing bitter truth about the poor state of the nation’s healthcare system to National Assembly leaders on Thursday.
The group said Mr Mustapha’s frank “assessment of our healthcare system and recommendations to the leadership of the National Assembly” should be praised, while efforts should be made to “find lasting solution to the poor state of our healthcare system than to live in self-denial while our medical infrastructures deteriorate at the expense of the poor.”
According to the APC Mandate Defenders, “Boss Mustapha deserves commendation instead of the bashing and vilification he has been receiving on the social media for being frank with the leadership of our National Assembly who have the power to improve budgetary provisions for our poor healthcare system.”
Truth must be told no matter how bitter it may sound because problem known is half solved, the group further said.
Asking rhetorically, the group said, “do we want a politically correct statement from the SGF while our healthcare infrastructure remains in terrible condition or do we want frank and true assessment of the situation with the hope of finding solution to our poor healthcare system?”
It said this is not the “time for fault-finding or politically correct statements, but time for unity of purpose, realistic assessments and support for the leadership and members of the taskforce against COVID-19 as they battle to contain and eradicate the pandemic from Nigeria.”
“We therefore call on all patriotic Nigerians to rally-round Boss Mustapha and his team in the ongoing fight against the novel disease.
“In similar vein, while we call on Nigerians to stay safe in their homes, we also call on Boss Mustapha to refuse to be distracted in the ongoing fight to defeat COVID-19.
“Together as a people, we shall defeat coronavirus from our land!” it stated.
Adedapo Adesanya