Gbadamosi Oladimeji
Amidst continuing criticism of FG’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of State for health, has promised that government would improve and smoothen the rough edges.
Speaking against the backdrop of complaints of inadequate testing/isolation centres and other critical issues around the management of the disease, Mamora noted that though things might not be perfect in the country now, government would do its best to make them better.
He told KaftanPost in an interview while speaking on recent extension of another two weeks of eased lockdown by the Federal government.
It can be recalled earlier this month, that the Federal Government cried out for help of insufficient isolation centres, not enough bed spaces and inadequate of testing kits to wage war against the pandemic (Covid-19).
In addition, President Buhari has repeatedly acknowledged that the poor are most affected, and it is part of the impetus to ease lockdown restrictions.
A patchwork of volunteer welfare programs and private sector-led initiatives are trying to make up for an insufficient government response. In the rural areas of Bayelsa State, there are credible anecdotes about chaotic and insufficient government relief measures, such as distribution of food to the poor.
On the other way round, the Federal Government Palliatives wasn’t sufficient enough to cater for those who were affected by the lockdown, parts of Government palliatives amid the pandemic was to give N10,000 to every Nigerian who have less than N5,000 in their account, but all were not accomplished.
However, all these have made World Health Organization (WHO) to state that Nigeria does not have the capacity and capability to wage war against Coronavirus.
According to the Minister, “This is a very difficult time and we need the cooperation of everybody in other to actualize victory during this pandemic”.
“The Federal Government understands there are peculiarities with each state in the implementation of the COVID-19 lockdown guidelines.
“The Implementation of the lockdown may vary from state to state, while some of the states have not really waited for the approval of NCDC on the opening of the PCR testing Centres,” he said.
While speaking on the extension of the eased COVID-19 lockdown among other things, Mamora said the Federal Government have goals to achieve at the end of the second phase of eased lockdown and if we have an understanding, the work will be easier.
However, the mass lockdowns weigh most heavily on the poor, who are often part of the informal economy and thus, dependent on face-to-face contact. For many of them, a day without work means a day without food.
He also noted that, ”the lockdown should be backed by palliatives. Individuals and faith-based organizations have been equally helpful.”
He revealed that “the truth, however, is that the palliatives would not reach everybody”.
Various Nigerian leaders have been largely supportive of the lockdowns, at least initially. Both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have supported the government lockdowns by giving out palliative measures to the needy and those who are affected by the lockdown.
He also promised that the Federal Government is going to improve in terms of compliance in the next two weeks.
However, individuals and groups and have worked with some local and state governments to disseminate accurate information and encourage compliance. The NSCIA, in fact, ordered their Abuja mosques closed, a full week before the government-imposed lockdown. Many state governors imposed their own lockdowns despite no requirement from the Federal government, and on April 22, all unanimously agreed to ban interstate movement.
“We have to increase our advocacy during this second phase of eased COVID-19 lockdown,” he said.
The Minister also promised to increase the testing centres and the turnaround time for testing to 24 hours.
The figures cited that measure the extent of COVID-19 in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, generally indicate a low level of spread. Nevertheless, this is at least, partly driven by low levels of testing.
Nigeria, with about 200 million people, had conducted under 36,899 tests as at 19th of May, 2020.
Mamora stressed that, “Whatever gains the Government have made so far, whether awareness or response activities, the Government will consolidate on them and improve in the second phase of the eased lockdown.”
He also stated that the Nigerian police have done well and they are big part of the fight against COVID-19.
The enforcement of the lockdown orders has been greeted with pockets of resistance and resulting in avoidable deaths from clashes with armed law enforcement agents.This has become worrisome with such deaths increasing by the day across Nigeria. Many have concluded that the deaths from the streets for non compliance is gradually becoming higher than the disease itself.
As of Wednesday, 38,901 samples have been tested, with 6,401 confirmed cases, 1,734 discharged cases and 192 deaths.
