Coronavirus: Sustain observance of lockdown - Buhari tells Nigerians
- President Buhari has called on Nigerians to continue to observe movement restrictions in places where they have been imposed
- The president said the movement restrictions will last as long as his expert health advisers declare they are necessary
- Buhari also listed some palliative measures that are being put in place to ensure vulnerable Nigerians are taken care of
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to endure the harsh conditions imposed on them in a bid to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
In a statement made available on his personal official Twiter page on Saturday, April 11, President Buhari noted that virtually all countries of the world are currently fighting for their own survival, reminding Nigerians that help will not come from any other country of the world, but from Nigerians themselves.
The president also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the level of understanding so far shown in the face of the hardship coming along with strict regulations.
Source: Twitter
He charged all to continue to obey the stay at home order in all the places where they had been imposed, as well as the instructions to keep up personal hygiene and observe social distancing, adding that all over the world, these were the only answers to containing the spread of COVID-19 for now.
Read the statement in full: “I wholeheartedly thanks all Nigerians for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
"We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suffering.
“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than today we ask of you. But we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.
Stay at home will last as long as necessary
“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.
Palliative measures for vulnerable Nigerians
“For those who suffer most egregiously, the government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas.
“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.
Endurance is necessary as the virus does not have a vaccine yet
“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.
“But at this darkest hour, it remains our duty to offer you the full and unvarnished truth: This is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.
“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must – and we will – end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together."
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Legit.ng earlier reported that the director-general of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Mohammed Lukman, called on the federal government to extend the COVID-19 lockdown nationwide.
Appraising the success of the two weeks lockdown at the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states by President Buhari, Lukman expressed disappointment over the attitude of certain state governors.
According to him, a national lockdown was necessary for the country not to throw away the gains achieved by its proactive measure of the last two weeks.
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Coronavirus: The govt cannot force us to stay at home | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng