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The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) has called for a national lockdown of the country for four weeks owing to the increase in the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
President of the academy, Professor Mosto Onuoha, in a statement, said it was time to shut down the country to reduce the number of new importations and community transmissions.
“Regrettably, Nigeria has, during the last one week, seen a dramatic increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases. It is now time for a national lock down, especially now that the disease has invaded the highest level of our governance threatening national security.
“While the effort of individual state governments is lauded, the lock down should be national, with uniform regulations, and led by the federal government.
“With a lock down, all citizens are required (as much as possible) to stay at home leaving room only for essential activities that allow for basic functions such as feeding and accessing health care.
“Only workers needed to provide essential services, such as health care and electricity, will be expected to go out. No social gatherings would be allowed,” he said.
On the necessity of a lockdown, Onuoha stated that most of the confirmed cases were imported with a few more being contacts of the imported cases, adding, “This suggests the possible existence of community transmission and the need for early containment.”
Similarly, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has canvassed a strategic plan on the provision of food and water to the people of Kogi State as part of efforts to ameliorate the suffering of people in the event of escalation of COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in Lokoja yesterday, Head, Abuja Operations Office of NEMA, Bitrus Samuel, said the agency was in the state to verify the capacity of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) if people were compelled to stay indoors to prevent spread of the disease.
Samuel, who was represented by Mr Reuben Babatunde said, “Following NEMA’s activation of the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) on COVID-19 pandemic, we are in Kogi State to hold meeting with the relevant ministries and organisations to come up with strategic plan for the provision of food and water supplies.”
Earlier, Executive Secretary, Kogi State Emergency Management Agency, Julius Mejiyan, who chaired the meeting appealed to NEMA to assist the state with logistics and supply of food and water whenever the need arises.
