Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on (COVID-19) Pandemic, Boss Mustapha has explained that the Federal Government extension of the eased lockdown was to enable proper opening up of businesses that yet to open.
Mustapha who doubles as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) gave this explanation on Tuesday during the task force daily press briefing in Abuja.
He said government has taken steps to ensure adequate preparation for businesses, offices, educational institutions and other institutions of society to gradually open up.
“I must also emphasise that the two additional weeks should be utilized by businesses, offices, professional bodies, places of worship, educational institutions, etc awaiting reopening to plan and adopt new strategies under a COVID-19 era in line with the guidelines. Above all, behavioral change is a must for every citizen because COVID 19 has changed the world completely.
“The PTF COVID-19 is committed and determined to continue to provide the required leadership for this national response.
“In the coming days, intense consultations will be deepened with different segments of the society including the state governments, security agencies, religious and community leaders to ensure a coordinated implementation of the measures.
“As I mentioned yesterday, specific directives have been issued to security agencies to strictly enforce the measures. I therefore admonish Nigerians to please observe the restrictions in full.
“I however wish to assure our essential workers such as the frontline medical personnel, the media, the environmental health workers, farmers and agro-related service providers, oil and gas services, aviation, the power sector and a host of others that they will be adequately protected. Your obligation is to always carry a valid means of identification”, he counseled.
He further encouraged Nigerians to delicately balance between safety and economic considerations before the economy was fully reopened, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari’s idea for the extension of the first phase of the eased lockdown was to help the country further contain the spread of COVID-19.
“This well considered decision was taken out of an abundance of caution, current experiences from different countries and expert advice. I must add also that we were persuaded by the history of global pandemics because it is replete with evidence of exponential rise in pandemic upon early lifting of restrictions, for which the 1918–1920 influenza remains the most recent example in human history.
“Nigeria, judging from these historical perspectives, must in our present approach, delicately balance between safety and economic considerations before we reopen the economy, fully,” Mustapha said.
