Victor Ogunyinka
Some Nigerians are bewildered on social media following the official Twitter handle of the Ministry of Finance and Budget begging for ventilators from industrial engineer, Elon Musk.
On the last day of March, Elon Musk tweeted that “We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please me or @Tesla know.”
We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please me or @Tesla know.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2020
With over N13.5 billion donated by individuals to support the Federal Government in the fight against coronavirus, many wondered why the Finance Ministry would make a public plea for ventilators.
In its tweet (apparently deleted) at 11.35 pm, 31st March, the ministry tweeted in reply to Elon Musk “Dear @elonmusk @tesla, the Federal Government of Nigeria needs support with 100 – 500 ventilators to assist with #COVID19 cases rising every day in Nigeria.
Nigerians took to Twitter to express their disappointments.
ALSO READ: Global COVID-19 cases could hit 1 million in few days ― WHO
Nigerian Senate reject bills to introduce Electric cars which was sponsored by Ben Bruce, Look at us now Federal Ministry of finance is doing begi begi from the world’s largest producers of such cars. I pray he gives us sha.
Even FG well
Lives matter.— Daddy_Fish✨🐋⚙ (@OfficialGeofish) April 2, 2020
After all this donations, The ministry of finance still insisted on embarrassing Nigerians by begging openly 😤 ahh!
Well, I guess we can’t shame the shameless anymore pic.twitter.com/DoYPwpaUym— 🤘 (@man_wey_sabi) April 2, 2020
They gat money for Toyota Camry 2020 but can’t afford to buy Ventilator for #COVID19 this country called 🇳🇬 nigeria is a joke expecialy the Ministry Of Finance
— oluleke akinola (@oluleke_akinola) April 2, 2020
1 ventilator is around $10,000 =N3.5m
500 ventilators that the corrupt government is begging Elon Musk for will just be N1.7b. They lied they shared N5bn to their so called poor people just yesterday. Hopeless & heartless Govt.
— Comrade Deji Adeyanju (@adeyanjudeji) April 2, 2020
The Nigerian goverment is openly begging Elon Musk for help. I am so embarrassed.
— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) April 2, 2020
FG is begging Elon musk and Tesla for ventilators, but Innoson offered the same government to produce ventilators but they ignored him.
And you’re lauding them because of Ukraine’s reply. Have we done half of what Ukraine has done so far?
Where are the billions donated??
— Obi Of Onitsha🇨🇦 (@cliqik) April 2, 2020
Okay, so @FinMinNigeria has deleted that tweet. Those of you that were saying it’s okay for them to beg, can you explain why they deleted?
Here’s my stand (again). It’s okay to beg. But we have an ambassador to @elonmusk‘s country. H should do his fucking job.
— Chxta (@Chxta) April 2, 2020
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