- That will be catastrophic, says Ayade
The 36 state governors, on Wednesday, unanimously resolved to adopt a two-week inter-state lockdown, as part of measures aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus across the country.
The resolution was passed during the sixth teleconference of the NGF chaired by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, during which the governors harped on the need to decentralise the COVID-19 response.
“We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today deliberated on the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and resolved as follows:
“The forum held a minute’s silence in honour of all Nigerians who have lost their lives from coronavirus, especially health workers who were in the front lines of the pandemic.
“Members also conveyed their condolence to President Muhammadu Buhari and the people of Borno State on the passing of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, who passed away on 17th April 2020 in the line of duty to the country.
“The NGF Chairman briefed the forum on the rapidly evolving situation of the COVID-19 pandemic and coordination efforts with the Federal Government, multilateral and bilateral partners and the private sector through the Coalition against COVID-19 (CACOVID).
“With over 25 states now affected by the spread of the virus and increasing evidence of community transmission, state governors called for the decentralisation of the COVID-19 response as the best chance of nipping in the bud the spread of the virus in communities.
“Following an update from the NGF Secretariat on the number of COVID-19 cases in the country, members expressed concern over the rising spread of the virus among health workers and resolved to work with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to ensure that health workers are adequately provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and are constantly trained on the use of protective gears.
“In order to strengthen coordinated implementation of necessary public health recommendations across states, governors resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state Commissioners of Health.
“Regional committees will continue to interface with the State Task Force Committees on COVID-19 already established in each state.
“The forum also received briefing from the governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo and Ogun states who shared their experiences and lessons from the fight against COVID-19.
“Governors unanimously agreed to the implementation of an inter-state lockdown in the country over the next two weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus from state to state. Only essential services will be permitted.
“Lastly, the forum congratulated the Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, who after nearly four weeks of testing positive and observing very strict medical regime, has now received two consecutive negative test results for the coronavirus,” the communiqué read.
But Cross River State governor, Professor Ben Ayade, warned that any further extension of lockdown in the country in response to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic will spell doom for the nation.
Ayade stated in Calabar that further extension of the lockdown will give rise to uncontrollable youth restiveness, adding that it is better to lockout than lockdown.
Professor Ayade said the recruitment of 8,000 youths by his government is to avoid social tension in view of the harsh economic impact created by COVID 19.
“With prices of oil falling, locking out is far better than locking down because another two weeks of lockdown will find this country under siege by young people. There is no way you can hold down these young energies for too long.
“It is demographic, it is statistics. Sixty-five per cent of the population is below the age of 35 and the virus itself does not have penetrative force in such demography and that is what we have to recognise as a country.”
The governor explained that the difference in climate conditions between the West and Africa was the reason the pandemic is ravaging that part of the world.
“Our demography is different from the west. Our climatic conditions are different. If you take the wind speed, the wind direction, sun intensity, radiation and the factors that govern the movement of a virus, ours is a situation that makes it difficult to spread with the speed it is spreading in the western world.
“So, our response strategy should reflect our environmental sensitivity. Maybe what COVID-19 will eventually do is to sharpen the consciousness of young people to come together.
“That will be very dangerous and so, to nip that in the bud, we have to find jobs for them because sincerely, that is the provision in the constitution. Section 14 sub-section 2 says the welfare and security of the people are the primary essence of government.”
The governor advocated channeling donations to combat COVID 19 pandemic to job creation. “If you have international support of N21 billion, you have to find how to use it to create jobs and not how to use it on COVID 19 campaign because it will end one day,” he said.