Buhari over his decision to partially lift the lockdown, while
additional measures are put in place to curb the spread of COVID19.While commending him, the party also called his attention to the
nation’s dwindling economy in the midst of the pandemic, arising from
the spreading novel Corona Virus and fall in the price of crude oil
globally.
The party said, it is important that while efforts are being put in
place, to contain the widespread of the virus, economy must not be
neglected, that, it will not be sustainable in the long run, to lockdown
either partially or totally in perpetualty.
The President, as part of his Monday evening broadcast, lifted
restriction of movement within Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, effective May 2nd,
2020, but puts a stop on inter state movement of non essential services.
Stating this was the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Prince
Adelaja Adeoye, in reaction to the Mr. President’s nationwide broadcast
on Monday evening.
Nigeria, must quickly look for alternative solutions, preferably, our
home grown solutions, to stop corona virus from encroaching and killing
more of our people, calling on all the Nation’s University and medical
colleges to help at this critical time, with research on how the
pandemic can be halted.
The Federal government must be aware that, Madagascar, Ghana, and few
other African countries, including Oyo State in Nigeria, has not relied
on western world, before going ahead to find solutions to the problem of
COVID19, ADP is therefore tasking the FG, as a matter of urgency to
swing into actions.
The party said, it was indeed alarmed by the large numbers of people
reported dead in Kano State, saying the government should declare a
State of emergency in health sector in the State, and also investigate
the root cause of death of such large numbers of people, and find
solutions on how it can be stopped.
Although, various leaders in the State, including the governor,
Abdullahi Ganduje, have said that, the deaths cannot be generally linked
to COVID19, but we want all Kano residents, and our members there to
know that, our party will continue to follow up with the Federal and
State government, over this matter, assuring them not to panic.
ADP states further that, while it is commendable that Nigerians are
updated with figures of infected persons, casualties recorded, and other
index cases on a daily basis, it is equally important that general
solution (s), must be found and announced to the people, so that people
can have confidence that, everything will soon be over.
The Director General of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr.
Chikwe Ihekweazu, through his official Twitter handle announced a
shortage in the test kits, after testing about 10,000 Nigerians, out of
a population of over 180million people, which shows that our own
solution must be found immediately, as it is being done in Senegal,
producing test kits and 3D ventilators locally, if at all we want this
problem to be over soon.
The President only stated what appears to be intermediate efforts in
combating COVID19 during his broadcast, but Nigeria must develop its own
strategy on how to roll back this virus, and have a COVID19 free Nation.
The party however urged all Nigerians to keep following the guidelines
provided by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), such as
washing their hands with soap or alcohol base hand sanitizers,
maintaining social distancing, avoiding crowded environment, and keep
using face/nose masks to avert the spread.
“We are also calling on the Federal government led by President Buhari,
to summon economic management team, to find a way out, on how the
economy can recover, because, it will be disastrous if measures are not
in place to support public and private businesses, post COVID19
economically, amidst this falling oil price, which Nigeria is largely
dependent on for it’s revenue”.
The President agrees with us, as he also have said that Nigerians are
loosing their jobs, businesses are collapsing, it should not just stop
at his media broadcast, the government must find a way to support those
businesses to ensure they are revived, jobs are gained and the nation
returns to its feet economically.
ADP also charge the government to put in concerted effort in order to
turn away from oil or rent seeking kind of economy. Our country is
hugely endowed with many natural and human resources, which we can
leverage on. We need to bring back our industries, in various sectors,
such as innovations and technology, textile, Agriculture, production of
good, mining, etc and begin to export, instead of importing our basic
needs.
The party concluded by saying that Buhari’s focus should not only be how
to contain the virus, but averting the looming economic pandemic, which
may cause millions of citizens more pains, if not well handled.