President Mohammadu Buhari broadcast on Monday, on the cumulative lockdown order in the country, particularly in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja in the ongoing war against the coronavirus came with a sigh of relief from most residents of the affected states including Anambra who had been forced to remain indoors for about one month following measures to curb the spread of the disease.
Tribune Online has early reported that the President, during his address, said the proportion of cases imported from other countries has reduced to only 19% of new cases, showing that the country border closures yielded positive results.
In Anambra state, despite the reopening of movement of people, places of worship, restaurants, food and drug markets, but in strict observation of government and World Health Organization’s directives on preventing the spread of the disease, residents are still lamenting on the absence of the Federal government palliatives presence in the state.
Reacting to the development, the Anambra state chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Demain Okeke-Ogene, while urging the President to urgently save the harsh situation the people are passing through, as a result of the Novel pandemic, disclosed that the people of the South East region (Igbo’s), are yet to feel the impact of the Federal government palliatives set aside for the vulnerable in the country to cushion the lockdown effect.
On the distribution of rice by FG, the Ohanaeze chairman, called on the south-east governors to emulate their south-west counterpart by involving the services of National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) to certify the product before distributing it to her citizens, to avoid other outbreak in the region, whenever they are called for.
He also appealed to the Federal government palliatives committee, to use the office, irrespective of tribe, religion and politics to give out the palliatives evenly.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Fintiri confirms doctor as second COVID-19 case in Adamawa
While commending the president, on his commitment to the welfare of Nigerians, Okeke, assure that the Igbos will continue to play safely in accordance with the government directive to end the COVID-19 spread.
He urged the 36 states governors to continue to enforce land border closure, as part of the containment strategy.
The government has played a responsive part with the recent Buhari broadcast, adding that the responsibility of safety now lies with the people, he added.
The Chief Medical Director, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojuckwu University Teaching Hospital, Dr Basil Nwankwo, said the signing of Memorandum of Understanding on the provision of hazard allowance to health workers and the training of ten thousand health workers across the country, has shown that Nigerian government at all level are committed to fighting the global disease, noted that at COOUTH, medical workers were already trained by the management to contain the virus.
Also speaking to Tribune Online, on the FG palliatives, the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Jerry Nnobia, said no workers in the state have received anything from the federal government, urging the president to extend the gesture to workers in the entire south-east region.
Dr Ucheche Raymond Ekpe, an eye specialist based in Awka, on his part, said the president broadcast, does not make sense to him because those commission to see to the COVID-19 affairs of health workers are only doing that on pen and paper.
He pleaded with the President to carry every Nigeria along on palliatives and not a particular section, for the interest of oneness, as sorted by Nigeria founding fathers, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Mr Nwachukwu Oguikpu, who had his hand-sewn face mask on, boarded a clustered public transport to Onitsha but noted that the misconceptions that people attach to the disease largely determine their choices to either observe the health safety guidelines or not.
A hotel staff manager in Awka, Mr Patrick Mbaleke, said that even though a lot was expected of the government to ameliorate the effects of the lockdown, it was important that people understood the need to protect themselves by adhering to the best preventive directives.
For Mr Emeka Okafor, the government should do more to ensure that the people, especially the poor, who are caught on the wrong side of the current circumstance, receive more interventions.
The state commissioner for information and public enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, who promised to speak more later via a statement, said the relaxation of the lockdown in Anambra state is part of government’s plans to ease social and economic hardship resulting from the stay-at-home directives.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING
Buhari Signs Proclamation Order On COVID-19 Management
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday signed the Proclamation Order on the General Management of COVID-19 in Lagos, Ogun, Kano, the Federal Capital Territory and other states in Nigeria. It is in line with the measures outlined in his nationwide broadcast on Monday night on the containment of the virus… Read full story
Face Masks Made Of Clothes, Papers Only Reduce, Can’t Prevent COVID-19 Spread, Says NAFDAC Boss
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Monday said that the use of non-medical face masks, which include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of clothes only reduce and not prevent spread of the coronavirus disease… Read full story
Coronavirus: Top NYC Doctor Kills Herself
A top New York City doctor who was on the front line of the US fight against coronavirus has killed herself. According to BBC, Dr Lorna Breen, who was medical director of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital in Manhattan, died of self-inflicted injuries on Sunday, police said… Read full story
What Buhari Told Nigerians
President Buhari in his address highlighted some of the new measures on the relaxation of lockdown. They are: a. Selected businesses and offices can open from 9am to 6pm; b. There will be an overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am. This means all movements will be prohibited during this period except essential services;… Read full story
Oil Spill: Ondo Communities Lament Losses As Farmlands, Rivers Get Polluted
That cold morning, Samuel Oriade set out to the river as usual for his fishing business, only to discover that the whole river and adjoining lands in the community had been polluted by what appeared to be an oil spill later discovered to have been caused by an alleged equipment failure in a facility of an oil company in the… Read full story
How COVID-19 Pandemic Has Slowed Down NASS
FINALLY, the National Assembly is set to hold an emergency plenary today, April 28, 2020 specifically to give accelerated consideration of the request by President Muhammadu Buhari for the passage of the N500 billion intervention fund, as well as an approval for the utilisation of over N100 billion… Read full story
CBN Lifts Suspension On Cheque Clearing
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Monday lifted the suspension placed on interbank cheque clearing. The new order comes into effect as from Tuesday. This first indication of the lift of the suspension was given during a press briefing addressed by chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha… Read full story
COVID-19: Fayemi Extends Lockdown In Ekiti By Six Days, Relaxes Sit-At-Home Order For 3 Days Weekly
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has extended the current lockdown in the state for six days till Sunday, May 3, 2020. The governor said that the lockdown declared since March 29 will now be relaxed from Monday, May 4 and allows for limited activities for three days in the week which are, Mondays… Read full story
Borno Govt Confirms Shehu Of Bama’s Demise
Borno State Government has confirmed the death of His Highness, the Shehu of Bama, Kyari Ibn Umar Elkanemi, who passed on Monday afternoon in Maiduguri. He died in his mid-60s. Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Babakura Abba Jato took advantage of a routine media briefing usually held… Read full story
What Exactly Held Abba Kyari Back?
A few days ago, the remains of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, were committed to mother earth and as expected after the demise of a public figure, the torrents of eulogies from both high and low ranked officials, friends and allies to ordinary members of the society have been overwhelming, with some measuring in… Read full story
