Management of National Assembly, on Friday, commenced the fumigation of the complex, in line with the directive issued by the leadership of both chambers.
The fumigation was contained in a short video clip exclusively obtained by Nigerian Tribune correspondent.
The fumigation exercise was done under the close supervision of some of the top management of National Assembly.
Top National Assembly management staff had, on Wednesday, held series of meetings to address various concerns raised by the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday before adjourning for “14 days in the first instance”, as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
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Recall that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, had in his address observed that: “This is not a holiday, it is an act of necessity in furtherance of the social distancing and isolation guidelines that have proven to be effective in preventing secondary transmission of the COVID–19 disease.
“The leadership of the House will continue to observe developments and respond as the circumstances demand. If it becomes necessary, we may reconvene to act on emergency legislation and possible amendment of the Appropriation Act, 2020.
“The Clerk of the National Assembly will maintain essential personnel to ensure full compliance with sanitation, health and safety requirements in the National Assembly.
“No member of the House of Representatives may travel out of the country during this time. All activities of the House of Representatives are suspended for the duration, whether those activities are scheduled to occur within the National Assembly or outside of it.
“Members are enjoined to show faithful leadership by restricting all nonessential movements and observing self-isolation and social distancing according to the guidelines of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Before we adjourned, the House today mandated the Federal Government to establish emergency care and isolation centres in every state of the federation.
“These centres will allow for as many of our people who present symptoms of this disease to be tested, treated and managed in a conducive atmosphere to prevent further transmission and ensure that those already infected have a fighting chance at survival and recovery and reunion with those who love them and miss them and pray for them.
“The House has further directed that the Federal Ministry of Health take urgent action to establish an emergency corps of medical professionals who will be deployed to manage these Adhoc emergency care centres across the country as the need arises.
“We do not make this directive lightly as we have already seen in other parts of the world, the high price that doctors and nurses have paid since the emergence of this new disease.
“However, this is a time that calls for service to a purpose greater than self and for reaching up to the highest ideals of which we are capable of,” the Speaker urged.
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Representatives called on law enforcement personnel to exercise restraint in enforcing the restriction of movement everywhere.
Leader of the caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda in a statement seen by Tribune Online called on the present administration to scale up medicare framework that will protect Nigerians who are faced with the poor economic conditions of Nigerians, the rights of citizens, in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The right to life and dignity of Human Person as enshrined in our constitution hasn’t been suspended, so they must continue to display professionalism in the discharge of their duties and ensure they keep our constituents out of harm’s way, as it is easy for them to become vectors or super spreaders of the virus if they don’t abide by the guidelines issued by the National Centre for Disease Control.
“We will frown at and exercise our constitutional powers as legislators to address any unreasonable act by the security officers in enforcing the lock down,” he warned.
In the bid to alleviate the suffering of the citizens across the country, the caucus also urged Federal Government to “open up our national food and grain reserves across the country and distribute food to the poorest of the poor in our country at the Local government level.
“The President should as a matter of utmost urgency issue an Executive Order, pursuant to his powers preserved by Section 5 of the Constitution 1999, directing the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, National Food Reserve Agency and National Emergency Management Authority to release and manage the distribution of food in our national reserves.
“The Executive Order must set out clear consequences for breach, particularly as they relate to public officials who seize on the times to make brisk businesses and gains from the miseries of the people. Other measures such as food prices control should be ramped up; though specific, targeted and temporary legislation on food prices control will be needed for enforcement.
“This is where the National Assembly comes in – by establishing framework of teleconferencing and social media communication, where the current lockdown and the medical advisories that bar public gatherings make it impossible for the reconvening of the National Assembly, to deliberate and pass such bills, as the Food Prices Control, Covid-19 Containment, Emergency and Disaster Management, into law.
“Whilst we commend the House for the emergency Bill passed on 17th March before closure to provide palliatives, these perilous times require creative thinking on the part of institutions of state and personages of power.
“Again, as a caucus, we laud and fully align with the Leadership of the House under Speaker Gbajiabiamila in the sacrifice of donating our salaries to assist our vulnerable constituents at this trying time but we must add that the Rt. Hon. Speaker and the Leadership of the House should consider sending the deductions of our Caucus Members directly to their various States as we are most dissatisfied with the distribution of palliatives by the Federal Government.
“We do hope that the leaderships of both arms of the National Assembly will accept our request for legislative response and intervention and quickly too,” the caucus stressed.
In the same vein, the PDP lawmakers also reiterated the clarion call on Federal Government to “open up free testing and treatment centres in all Zones in the country.
“Step down VAT and give partial tax holiday on essential commodities for 2 months.
“Make electricity available and free for citizens within the period of total lockdown.
“Disburse the sum of N5 billion as business loans in every State of the Federation to stimulate SMEs and business in the country,” Hon Kingsley Chinda, Leader of the Caucus said in the statement.