NGO Advises FG to Reverse Self on Lockdown Relaxation

Martins Ifijeh

A health-based nongovernmental organisation, Castle Noble International has advised the federal government to reverse itself on the order lifting restrictions on movement over COVID-19 pandemic, saying the first few day of the new order has shown Nigeria could be worse than Italy if people are allowed to flood the streets the way it is happening now.

The NGO said it was not unmindful of the socio-economic dilemma the one-month lockdown pushed the country into, but that life is more precious than the economy.

The President of the group, Mrs Ite Donald said the decision of the government to relax the lockdown was a dangerous move, adding that the lockdown provided the most effective way of containing the virus.

According to Donald, “As a rule, we are not given to reacting to government policies but this is one case that will tell so much on the lives of Nigerians. Immediately after the lockdown order was lifted, we deployed our members across the country to monitor the effects and what we have seen, with the way and manner people are throwing caution to the winds, the country will record a surge in positive cases that we may not be able to handle,” she said.

The group advocates for the Indian model, which sees the government using the lockdown period to create 586 dedicated COVID-19 facilities with 1,04, 613 isolation beds and 11, 836 ICU beds to tackle the evolving health crisis.

According to one of the board members, Mustapha Ojo, “Continuation of the shutdown may help in tracing more potential cases while saving others from being infected. We urge the federal government to evolve ways of assisting states to get the required equipment.”