COVID-19: Extension of lockdown a painful decision, says Presidential Task Force

The decision to extend the lockdown on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states by an additional two weeks was a painful one, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Coronavirus pandemic has said.

President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Monday in a nationwide broadcast, announced the 14-day extension, saying that a large proportion of new infections was now occurring in communities through person-to-person contacts.

Speaking at the daily briefing of the task force in Abuja on Tuesday, its chairman and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, who made the assertion, appealed to Nigerians to continue to show understanding.

He said: “Such a monumental decision has been taken at great pains and we continue to appeal to Nigerians to show a lot of understanding, comply with orders, observe social distancing, keep a high level of personal and respiratory hygiene, stay at home unless it is compelling to go out and generally take responsibility for playing your individual role in this war.”

Reviewing the presidential broadcast, the chairman observed that it addressed several critical issues of concern to Nigeria’s survival as a nation.

“After very meticulous assessment of the recommendations of the PTF, the president has authorised the extension of the restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory for an additional 14 days effective Monday 13th April, 2020,” he stated.

While noting that the president’s broadcast, which was the second in two weeks on the national response to COVID-19 pandemic, Mustapha underscored some of the points raised by Buhari including his “acceptance of responsibility as a democratically elected leader who has the overall interest of Nigerians at heart.”

In his remark, the coordinator of the PTF, Dr Sani Aliyu, emphasised that the main purpose of the lockdown “is to enable us interrupt transmission and to reduce social interaction, to make sure that those contacts or cases that we have, we are able to reach them and able to isolate them on time.”

He therefore called on the public to continue to adhere strictly to this additional extension, noting that the existing protocols remain unchanged, urging everyone in the two states and the FCT to stay at home unless seeking or providing food or medical needs.

He added: “The conditional exemptions we had, which included banks, the media and other essential services, also remain the same, so that they can continue to operate during this period.

“This also includes agriculture sector, particularly transportation of essential agricultural products, animal produce, fertilizers and others.

“I’ll like to reemphasise the need to avoid mass gatherings, to ensure that hands sanitization and maintaining safe distance. Also and more importantly making sure that those persons that are most likely to have severe COVID-19 infection are safe.”

 

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

We Understand The Need For Lockdown Extension, But Palliative Not Well Handled, Says Afenifere
Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, on Monday said it understood the need to extend the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari in his nationwide broadcast, but quickly expressed worries about the continuation of the palliatives promised by him as the stimulus… Read full story

COVID-19: FG Working On Comprehensive Package For Health Workers
The Federal Government, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, is already working on a comprehensive package for health workers in the frontline of the battle against COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said on Monday… Read full story