Nigerians have descended on the Federal Government of Nigeria for taking to Twitter to beg billionaire engineer, Elon Musk, for ventilators, amid the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
Taking to Twitter, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, requested for Elon Musk’s contributions with 100-500 ventilators.
This came after the billionaire had revealed that he had some ventilators to export worldwide. The federal ministry wrote;
“Dear @elonmusk @Tesla Federal Government of Nigeria needs support with 100-500 ventilators to assist with #Covid19 cases arising every day in Nigeria.”
The tweet drew a lot of criticism, as many Nigerians slammed the FG for misplaced priorities. See reactions below;
@SmartAtuadi: The 37billion budgeted for NASS renovation should be used to purchase Ventilators. They won’t have constituencies to preside over if people die out of lack of equipment. This country under you people is in a mess because y’all have got no priority at all.
@Fatod09: It would have been less shameful if u allow Teaching Hospitals to do this kind of bambiala. If it is to release money for official cars for politician, we wont hear anything here.
@destayo67: The person behind the handle that wrote this rubbish must be mad and stupid at the same time. The funds you used to buy 2020 Toyota camry cars for your rubber stamp senators would have bought a good number of ventilators
Wasterful government.
@Okslaw_11: You will just be disgracing us up and down. wait ,are all the donations audio money ?
@taramasalata001: Nigeria, been the giant and richest in Africa, should be the one shipping ventilators and other equipments to other African countries to help them cope with covid-19 but here we are, begging for support after mismanagement and embezzling public funds for decades… What a shame!
@oluwanjomiloju; What exactly happened to the over 15Billion Naira that was donated you shameless bunch.
@taramasalata001 said it was unfortunate that a rich country like Nigeria could stoop so low.
“Nigeria, being the giant and richest in Africa, should be the one shipping ventilators and other equipment to other African countries to help them cope with COVID-19 but here we are, begging for support after mismanagement and embezzling public funds for decades. What a shame!”
@AriyoJoshuaOlus said the Federal Government ought to have used diplomatic and business channels to get such help rather than go on social media.
@Kcnaija tweeted, “With a budget of over N10tn and borrowings of $22.7bn, we are begging for 100 to 500 ventilators. Nigeria as a country is a mess, a total potpourri of jokes. So, we didn’t have ventilators and our President and public officers go abroad for medical tourism?”
Bring Back Our Girls co-convener, Aisha Yesufu, said it was ironic that Nigeria, which had not been encouraging tech companies could beg a tech billionaire for help.
She tweeted, “The same Nigeria that is begging @elonmusk is the same Nigeria that has been harassing and killing young tech people in Nigeria. They bullied everyone with laptop and did everything to kill their dreams. They refused to heed citizens shouting end SARS.”
