..drafts security agencies to enforce compliance
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Nigerians’ continued disobedience of the eased lockdown guidelines developed by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 portends danger for the country as this could lead to more spread of the virus to more people, the Federal Government has warned.
The government said it was very concerned about the level of compliance with the eased lockdown guidelines introduced last week across the country, especially in Lagos.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on April 27, in his nationwide broadcast, said the phased and gradual easing of the lockdown would begin on May 4 (Monday). He also imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the nation.
Guidelines on gradual reopening of the economy issued by the PTF a few days after the presidential address mandated anyone in public spaces to use non-medical face masks.
They also prohibited interstate travels, apart for essential services. The guidelines banned gathering of more than 20 people outside of a workplace.
Commercial vehicles are only allowed to operate outside the curfew hours and practise social distancing in the number of their passengers.
But the government said that its overall assessment of compliance with the measures and outcomes of modelling pointed in the direction of danger ahead.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at the daily briefing of the task force on Wednesday.
Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, called on community, religious and traditional leaders to take up the challenge of ensuring compliance with the guidelines.
He said: “The overall assessment of compliance with the measures and outcomes of modelling we have developed, point in the direction of danger ahead. We therefore need personal discipline, increased awareness and enforcement.
“I want to re-iterate the fact that our individual and collective safety is in our hands and I re-echo my call and appeal to Nigerians to demonstrate our duty to ourselves and loved ones by minimising the risk of getting infected by the virus.
“As we continue to push the frontiers of risk communication, I wish to appeal to all Nigerians to be vigilant and desist from taking undue risks.
“The PTF calls on community, religious and traditional leaders to take up this challenge. Similarly, we call on, trade associations, professional bodies and organisations to complement the efforts of the government. The PTF appreciates your current efforts but it has become very obvious that more needs to be done, together.
“While we continue to advocate strict compliance with the prescribed measures, the PTF urges Nigerians to also use this period of a pandemic to build social solidarity by eschewing stigmatisation, support the mental well being of our compatriots that are infected, continue to provide for the poor, sick, aged and vulnerable and to provide support in whatever manner.”
National Coordinator of the task force, Dr. Aliyu Sani, said the PTF have called state security agencies and state structures to provide support and supervision that will ensure compliance to the eased lockdown guidelines.
Sani appealed to the public to cooperate with the state security agencies in the interest of public safety.
According to him, Nigeria’s chances of coming out of this crisis sooner depends on absolute compliance of Nigerians to the eased lockdown guidelines.
He said: “Presidential Task Force continues to be very concerned about the level of compliance with the eased lockdown guidelines that we introduced last week across the country but most especially in Lagos.
“We have called on state security agencies and state structures to provide support and supervision that will ensure compliance to the eased lockdown guidelines. In this regard, we are appealing strongly to the public to cooperate with the state security agencies in the interest of public safety.”
“There is a very good reason why the PTF eased the lockdown last week. It was partly because we wanted to provide an opportunity to cushion Nigerians and by extension, opportunities for business to re-establish some economic activities towards the gradual re-opening of the Nigerian economy.
“We also had a bundle of measures which we realised, if fully implemented, if fully delivered by everybody, would have the same impact with that of an absolute lockdown. I must emphasize that the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria is far from over.
“Our chances of coming out of this crisis sooner, rather than later, depends on our absolute compliance to the eased lockdown guidelines. The guidelines have specific aspects within them that I will like to emphasize.
“We must do everything to prevent another spike and spread of the virus during the eased lockdown.”
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