Victor Ogunyinka

As tension continues to brew inside the private sector task force for COVID-19, Coalition Against COVID-19, CACOVID, one of its members, BUA Group, has raised the alarm that a ‘prominent’ member was not happy with BUA’s initiative to pay for the vaccines.

There have been heated exchanges between CACOVID and BUA, owing to the declaration by the cement and sugar company that it had paid for a million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine.

CACOVID debunked BUA’s claim, stating that “no individual or organisation has the right to purchase vaccine doses.”

Dismayed by the reaction, BUA Group responded by describing the CACOVID’s statement as “petty” and narrated how it all went down. The conglomerate also released evidence of payment to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

BUA also stated that the move was a gesture without political intentions, adding that “BUA did this gesture in good faith as it has done with its interventions throughout the pandemic.”

It added that “We will, however, like to state clearly that we are aware that a prominent member of CACOVID is not happy that BUA took the initiative to pay for the vaccines – fulfilling our pledge just as we said during the meeting.

“Now they want to scuttle it by this action because they were unable to take the initiative.

“We find this release by CACOVID to be very petty and unbecoming of seemingly serious corporate citizens because it is tantamount to playing politics with the lives of Nigerians.

“This is no time for politics. It is time for us to come together to help Nigerians and it does not matter who is helping or paying.

“We stand ready to keep supporting and despite this petty action, we have decided to let the money remain in the CACOVID account with the CBN, pending when they are ready to utilise the funds for Nigerians to access the vaccines.”

Vanguard News Nigeria