As the rate of confirmed COVID-19 infection continues to soar in the country, the 36 state governors in Nigeria have voted unanimously for the urgent implementation of a two-week national inter-state lockdown to curb and possibly stop its spread in the country.
This decision was taken during a virtual meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on Wednesday April 22. Just a day before, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had confirmed 117 new coronavirus cases in the country with total infections rising to 782. Meanwhile, 91 new cases were confirmed on Wednesday bringing the new total to 873.
The news comes a day after Governor Fayemi said the governors were very concerned about the spread of the disease and warned that the country was in for a long ride in the battle against the pandemic.
The NGF Chairman, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, disclosed the governors’ decision in a communiqué issued after the 6th COVID-19 teleconference of the governors. Fayemi, who is also the Ekiti State governor, stated that the decision was taken after governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo, and Ogun states briefed the NGF on their experiences in trying to curb COVID-19.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: FG Says WAEC, NECO Postponement Is Indefinite
Fayemi said the inter-state lockdown would help stop the continued rise in the number of cases as well as the spread of the pandemic. Fayemi said governors also resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level to be headed by health commissioners.
Fayemi said members had expressed serious concerns over the rising spread of the coronavirus among health workers. He added that the NGF resolved to work with the NCDC to ensure that health workers were adequately provided with personal protective equipment. He also said the governors had resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state commissioners of health. This is in addition to regional committees continuing to interface with the task force on COVID-19 already established in each state.
“With over 25 states now affected by the spread of the virus and increasing evidence of community transmission, state governors called for the decentralization of the COVID-19 response as the best chance of nipping the spread of the virus in communities”
Earlier on Tuesday in an interview with Channels television, Fayemi had on Tuesday spoken about the efforts of state governors in curbing the spread of COVID-19. He said: “We are very concerned. If you look at the number of times we met over the last month. We’ve had five meetings which focused almost exclusively on COVID-19 and its spread and the concomitant economic effects on the Nigerian citizens,” Governor Fayemi had said when asked about the situation.
He, however, said the governors were trying to use all their capacity to fight the pandemic.
To complement the actions of the government, he called on Nigerians to play their part and follow directives and protocols. “I don’t think we have reached the peak yet. So, Nigerians need to take this very seriously. This is not entertainment,” he warned.
It is unclear when the nation-wide lockdown will take effect.
