As the lockdown in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Lagos and Ogun
States ends today, Nigerians are apprehensive about the next line
of action to be taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to combat the
coronavirus pandemic.
All eyes and ears will be glued to national television and radio
stations by 7:00pm today as the president announces his decision on
whether or not to extend the lockdown order again in a nationwide
broadcast.
When Buhari issued the restriction order on March 29 this year,
the country had only 111 COVID-19 cases, and by the time he
extended it two week ago by another 14 days, the number of
confirmed cases was officially pegged at 318.
With about 1273 confirmed cases in the country as of yesterday,
there are palpable fears that the president may opt for another
extension.
Amid prevalent hunger and hardship due to lack of access to
essential services and commodities during the lockdown period in
the last 28 days, most Nigerians in the affected areas have battled
to sustain themselves in the face of the economic downturn.
With increasing crime rate and prices of essential commodities
going up, most of the citizens are calling on the president to lift
the lockdown.
In view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country,
President Buhari would today extend the lockdown.
The president may relax some of the restrictions on essential
business activities by enabling movements to open up the economy,
while religious and social gatherings would remain banned to curb
the spread of the diseases, as the government makes wearing of face
masks compulsory in public.
State governors had on Saturday asked the president to consider
a partial relaxation of the lockdown but continue the restriction
on flight operations in the country.
In a letter signed by the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’
Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi of, the
governors said subject to Buhari’s approval, they want inter-state
lockdown “excluding movement of essential supplies — foods,
beverages, medical and pharmaceuticals, petroleum supplies and
agricultural products, internal free movement but with restrictions
on large gatherings and assemblies, overnight curfews, and
compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public”.
Preparatory to today’s review of the lockdown, President Buhari
yesterday received briefing from minister of Health, Dr Osagie
Ehanire, and director-general of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, on the latest development over
Coronavirus and the reported strange disease in Kano.
Ehanire, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome
of the closed door meeting in Abuja, said they briefed the
president on the activities and overall positions of the
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
The briefing of President Buhari by the minister and the DG of
the NCDC came barely 24 hours to the expiration of the 14-day
extension to the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun.
The minister said the PTF presented to the president its advice
and recommendations on the way forward as regard the ongoing fight
against the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
Ehinare stated: “We also brought the overall summary apposition
of the Presidential Task Force which as you know comprises of not
only the health ministry but other ministries.
“We have aggregated the opinions that we have, weighing the
health and the socio-economic factors and everything, to present
our own opinion and recommendations to Mr President”.
The minister assured that the nation was winning the fight
against the pandemic as all relevant health institutions had agreed
to work together to achieve the desired goal of defeating the novel
Coronavirus.
He continued: “The fight is going on very well. As I said, all
countries have continued with the struggle against Coronavirus,
using the strategies that they have developed for their own
countries.
“We have developed a strong strategy as we are working with
other experts groups like the NCDC and relevant health
organisations.
“So, we are also working with the states and the
governors.’’
The minister, who also spoke on the reported Kano strange
disease, said his ministry had been communicating with relevant
agencies, including Kano State government with a view to addressing
the health problem.
The DG of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who also spoke to the
correspondents, advised Nigerians against wasting their meagre
resources on the procurement of what he described as uncertified
Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits.
He said, “We will continue to build up our testing strategies.
At the moment 14 testing centres have been activated across the
country. We want to bring the test closer to every state. Everybody
is working very hard to solve this problem.
“I can see that some people are already procuring Rapid
Diagnostic Test Kits. They don’t work as far as we know. So, I will
really recommend that we all stick to the National Strategy, build
on it, support its expansion and together we will get on top of the
pandemic.’’
As the lockdown in Abuja, the nation’s capital, Lagos and Ogun
States ends today, Nigerians are apprehensive about the next line
of action to be taken by President Muhammadu Buhari to combat the
coronavirus pandemic.
All eyes and ears will be glued to national television and radio
stations by 7:00pm today as the president announces his decision on
whether or not to extend the lockdown order again in a nationwide
broadcast.
When Buhari issued the restriction order on March 29 this year,
the country had only 111 COVID-19 cases, and by the time he
extended it two week ago by another 14 days, the number of
confirmed cases was officially pegged at 318.
With about 1273 confirmed cases in the country as of yesterday,
there are palpable fears that the president may opt for another
extension.
Amid prevalent hunger and hardship due to lack of access to
essential services and commodities during the lockdown period in
the last 28 days, most Nigerians in the affected areas have battled
to sustain themselves in the face of the economic downturn.
With increasing crime rate and prices of essential commodities
going up, most of the citizens are calling on the president to lift
the lockdown.
In view of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country,
President Buhari would today extend the lockdown.
The president may relax some of the restrictions on essential
business activities by enabling movements to open up the economy,
while religious and social gatherings would remain banned to curb
the spread of the diseases, as the government makes wearing of face
masks compulsory in public.
State governors had on Saturday asked the president to consider
a partial relaxation of the lockdown but continue the restriction
on flight operations in the country.
In a letter signed by the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’
Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi of, the
governors said subject to Buhari’s approval, they want inter-state
lockdown “excluding movement of essential supplies — foods,
beverages, medical and pharmaceuticals, petroleum supplies and
agricultural products, internal free movement but with restrictions
on large gatherings and assemblies, overnight curfews, and
compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public”.
Preparatory to today’s review of the lockdown, President Buhari
yesterday received briefing from minister of Health, Dr Osagie
Ehanire, and director-general of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
(NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, on the latest development over
Coronavirus and the reported strange disease in Kano.
Ehanire, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome
of the closed door meeting in Abuja, said they briefed the
president on the activities and overall positions of the
Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
The briefing of President Buhari by the minister and the DG of
the NCDC came barely 24 hours to the expiration of the 14-day
extension to the lockdown in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun.
The minister said the PTF presented to the president its advice
and recommendations on the way forward as regard the ongoing fight
against the spread of the deadly virus in the country.
Ehinare stated: “We also brought the overall summary apposition
of the Presidential Task Force which as you know comprises of not
only the health ministry but other ministries.
“We have aggregated the opinions that we have, weighing the
health and the socio-economic factors and everything, to present
our own opinion and recommendations to Mr President”.
The minister assured that the nation was winning the fight
against the pandemic as all relevant health institutions had agreed
to work together to achieve the desired goal of defeating the novel
Coronavirus.
He continued: “The fight is going on very well. As I said, all
countries have continued with the struggle against Coronavirus,
using the strategies that they have developed for their own
countries.
“We have developed a strong strategy as we are working with
other experts groups like the NCDC and relevant health
organisations.
“So, we are also working with the states and the
governors.’’
The minister, who also spoke on the reported Kano strange
disease, said his ministry had been communicating with relevant
agencies, including Kano State government with a view to addressing
the health problem.
The DG of the NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, who also spoke to the
correspondents, advised Nigerians against wasting their meagre
resources on the procurement of what he described as uncertified
Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits.
He said, “We will continue to build up our testing strategies.
At the moment 14 testing centres have been activated across the
country. We want to bring the test closer to every state. Everybody
is working very hard to solve this problem.
“I can see that some people are already procuring Rapid
Diagnostic Test Kits. They don’t work as far as we know. So, I will
really recommend that we all stick to the National Strategy, build
on it, support its expansion and together we will get on top of the
pandemic.’’