*Says Mosques in Makkah, Madina closed
* Pope celebrated Mass on empty St. Peter’s Square
*Urges security agencies to be vigilant, firm and restraint in enforcing lockdown
*Says ministers, Economic Council to develop policy for ‘Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19’
President Muhammadu Buhari Monday announced the extension of the COVID-19 movement restrictions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun states for another two weeks effective Monday, April 13, 2020.
The president said this in a nationwide broadcast to Nigerians.“With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun states as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight.
“This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people. India, Italy and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the process of following suit. We cannot be lax.“No country can afford the full impact of a sustained restriction of movement on its economy.
I am fully aware of the great difficulties experienced especially by those who earn a daily wage such as traders, day-workers, artisans and manual workers.“For this group, their sustenance depends on their ability to go out. Their livelihoods depend on them mingling with others and about seeking work. But despite these realities we must not change the restrictions,” he said.
The president said previously issued guidelines on exempted services on the movement restrictions order shall remain.“This is a difficult decision to take, but I am convinced that this is the right decision. The evidence is clear.
“The repercussions of any premature end to the lockdown action are unimaginable. We must not lose the gains achieved thus far. We must not allow a rapid increase in community transmission. We must endure a little longer,” he said.
The president urged Nigerians and residents to notify the relevant authorities if anyone around them develops any symptoms.He also urged healthcare professionals to redouble their efforts to identify all suspected cases, bring them into care and prevent transmission to others.He said the federal government has palliative measures such as food distribution, cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of the restrictive policies during this difficult time, stressing that the palliatives would be sustained.
The president also directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks.“This means we will support an additional one million homes with our social investment programs. A technical committee is working on this and will submit a report to me by the end of this week,” he said.
The president said security agencies have risen to the challenges posed by this unprecedented situation with gallantry, and urged them to continue to maintain utmost vigilance, firmness and restraint in enforcing the restriction orders while not neglecting statutory security responsibilities.He also urged Nigerians to follow the instructions on social distancing as part of measures to contain spread of the virus.
“The irresponsibility of the few can lead to the death of the many. Your freedom ends where other people’s rights begin. The response of our State Governors has been particularly impressive, especially in aligning their policies and actions to those of the Federal Government,” he said.The president assure that, in the next coming weeks, the federal government, through the Presidential Task Force, would do whatever it takes to support Nigerians in this difficult period.
“I have no doubt that, by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall get over this pandemic. I must also thank the Legislative arm of Government for all its support and donations in this very difficult period. This collaboration is critical to the short and long-term success of all the measures that we have instituted in response to the pandemic,” he said.
The president said as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world as we know it has changed, stressing that the way we interact with each other, conduct our businesses and trade, travel, educate our children and earn our livelihoods would be different.
The president also directed the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment; Communication and Digital Economy, Science and Technology; Transportation, Aviation, Interior, Health, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment and Education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy for a “Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19.”
The ministers would be supported by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Economic Sustainability Committee in executing this mandate.“I am also directing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council and the Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized,” he said.