The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has agreed to implement a
lockdown between states in order to limit the spread of the Coronavirus disease
in Nigeria.
This agreement to implement the two weeks lockdown was
reached after a meeting on Wednesday April 22, between member governors chaired
by NGF Chairman Kayode Fayemi, as the disease has now spread to 25 states in
Nigeria.
The press statement released by the 36 state governors
reads; “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 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 traineod
on the use of protective gears.
“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 statement read.
