Stay Away From Public, Religious Gatherings – Buhari Pleads With Nigerians
- Approves N10bn grant for Lagos
- NCDC gets N5bn to upscale efforts
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – With the numbers of confirmed corona virus cases rising gradually in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded that Nigerians stay away from public gatherings, including religious events for now.
In addition, the President has approved immediate release of a N10 billion grant to Lagos State, which is centre point of the Covid-19 outbreak in Nigeria as well as N5 billion Special Intervention Fund (SIF) to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to equip, expand and provide personnel in all its facilities and laboratories nationwide.
He has also admonished Nigerians to observe all advisories by the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant authorities, especially on social distancing, noting that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is known to spread faster through crowding.
President Buhari reportedly made the passionate appeal in a statement issued late on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.
The statement quoted President Buhari as saying; “I advise all Nigerians to follow to the latter the health guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and our respective State Governments.
“Wash your hands thoroughly many times throughout the day. Observe ‘social distancing’ of a minimum of two metres. Do not make unnecessary journeys outside of your homes. Do not attend public meetings or public gatherings – including religious events – which is where, through social contact, the virus can easily be transmitted.
“The Federal Ministry of Health will continue to issue daily updates on all developments. Please refer to public announcements by the Ministry on radio, television, www.health.gov.ng and @Fmohnigeria”, President said.
On the request by the government of Lagos State for financial support to combat and contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Lagos and Nigeria, the statement indicated that the President has already approved the sum of N10 billion with the speedy release of the funds within two days of the request.
Furthermore, the President has also approved and ensured the prompt release of N5 billion special intervention requested by the NCDC to equip and expand their facilities and laboratories across the country.
In the same vein, NCDC’s request for an aircraft from the Presidential Air Fleet for emergency situations has received President Buhari’s approval.
According to the statement, the President has furthermore authorized the immediate evacuation of three critical members of the NCDC team who are stuck in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo where they had attended a training organsied by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the central African nation.
Mallam Garba further said in the statement that; “These measures are in addition to the ones approved and announced by the Presidential Task Force (PTF), including the closure of land borders to human traffic for four weeks; the conversion of all Hajj transit camps to be utilized as COVID-19 isolation centers; the directive that all non-essential government employees to work from home; and for a daily briefing of the nation through the PTF.
“Other approved measures already put into place include the ban of flights from and into the country, suspension of the Federal Executive Council and National Council of State meetings and a directive for engagements, at the highest levels between the Federal Government and the state governments.
“President Buhari has also directed for the escalation of the nation’s capacity for testing and detection with the acquisition of testing kits and establishment of additional test centers; acquisition of Personnel Protection Equipment and the mobilization of experts and trained staff serving and recall of some of those retired.
“The closure of schools and tertiary institutions and the suspension of religious and other gatherings above the fifty prescribed number are also parts of the measures approved and are in place.
“The President is keeping a close eye on international developments on the spread of COVID-19 and will intensify or introduce new measures if they become necessary to protect Nigerians”, the presidential aide said in the statement.