We don’t know if lockdown’ll end in 14 days – SGF

Across Nigeria Comments Off on We don’t know if lockdown’ll end in 14 days – SGF

---

The  Federal Government, yesterday, said it does not know if the lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, ordered to check the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic would end in 14 days.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said only President Muhammadu Buhari can decide if the lockdown would be extended, depending on experts’ advice.

It added that the country was on course to stop the spread of the virus. Buhari had on March 29, 2020, ordered a total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and FCT for 14 days in the first instance.

The lockdown is on day 9 today.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who spoke, while briefing State House Correspondents in Lagos House, Marina, after an inspection of Isolation facilities in different parts of the state, said it was only the President that can decide whether or not to extend the lockdown imposed on Lagos, Ogun and FTC.

Mustapha said: “Basically, this is part of the consultation. We are looking at the objectives that were set when the lockdown and quarantine declaration, 2020, was signed by the president and subsequently by other states.

“Before the end of the week, we will do an evaluation and see how the objectives that were set are being met.  At the end of that exercise, we will have the responsibility of reporting back to Mr. President .

The President did say the declaration was on the advice of Minister of Health and experts that informed his decision in signing of the quarantine declaration 2020.

“At the end of our valuation, our advice and recommendation will be presented to Mr. President and at that point, he and he alone can take that decision when the lockdown would either be extended or it will stop at the expiration of 14 days.

“In his  address to the nation, he did say 14 days in the first instance, so it is open, it is based on what has happened within that 14 days, have they been met, have they satisfied the objectives, has it gone in the direction we wanted it.

“If that has been achieved, he will look at all the information available to him as the president of Nigeria and I can assure you that he will take a decision that is in the best interest of the people of Nigeria”, Mustapha said.

Earlier, Mustapha said the taskforce was in Lagos to inspect facilities put in place by the government for the control of the COVID-19 Pandemic. He assured all Nigerians of the unwavering commitment of President Buhari to the war against COVID-19 and his readiness to mobilize resources to achieve national objectives.

Mustapha stressed that the nation was at war with an unseen but very potent enemy and  to successfully prosecute the war, “we must own it, we must participate in it, we must create awareness, we must obey rules and regulations, we must stay at home when ordered and we must not conceal any information from the medical and disease control authorities.

“One person who is infected in a community can endanger the entire community regardless of its size and status or position of the people living there. Coronavirus is real and dangerous. Let me appeal to Lagosians, indeed, all Nigerians to play our roles in defeating Coronavirus.

“To win the war, we must abide by instructions to stay-at-home, maintain social distancing, personal hygiene and report all suspected cases to the designated health authorities.”

---

---

---