Commends Buhari over Partial Lifting of Lockdown, Worried about Members in Kano

The Action Democratic Party (ADP), has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over his decision to partially lift the lockdown, while additional measures are put in place to curb the spread of COVID19.

While commending him, the party also called his attention to the nation’s dwindling economy in the midst of the pandemic, arising from the spreading novel Corona Virus and fall in the price of crude oil globally.

The party said, it is important that while efforts are being put in place, to contain the widespread of the virus, economy must not be neglected, that, it will not be sustainable in the long run, to lockdown either partially or totally in perpetually.

The President, as part of his Monday evening broadcast, lifted restriction of movement within Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, effective May 2nd, 2020, but puts a stop on inter state movement of non essential services.

This was stated in a statement obtained The Street Reporters Newspaper and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Prince Adelaja Adeoye, in reaction to the Mr. President’s nationwide broadcast on Monday evening.

“Nigeria must quickly look for alternative solutions, preferably, our home grown solutions to stop coronavirus from encroaching and killing more of our people, calling on all the Nation’s University and medical colleges to help at this critical time, with research on how the pandemic can be halted.

“The Federal government must be aware that, Madagascar, Ghana, and few other African countries, including Oyo State in Nigeria, has not relied on western world, before going ahead to find solutions to the problem of COVID19, ADP is therefore tasking the FG, as a matter of urgency to swing into actions.”

The party said, it was indeed alarmed by “the large numbers of people reported dead in Kano State”, saying “the government should declare a State of emergency in health sector in the State, and also investigate the root cause of death of such large numbers of people, and find solutions on how it can be stopped.

“Although, various leaders in the State, including the governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, have said that, the deaths cannot be generally linked to COVID19, but we want all Kano residents, and our members there to know that, our party will continue to follow up with the Federal and State government, over this matter, assuring them not to panic.”

The ADP stated further that “while it is commendable that Nigerians are updated with figures of infected persons, casualties recorded, and other index cases on a daily basis, it is equally important that general solution (s), must be found and announced to the people, so that people can have confidence that, everything will soon be over.

“The Director General of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, through his official Twitter handle announced a shortage in the test kits, after testing about 10,000 Nigerians, out of a population of over 180million people, which shows that our own solution must be found immediately, as it is being done in Senegal, producing test kits and 3D ventilators locally, if at all we want this problem to be over soon.

“The President only stated what appears to be intermediate efforts in combating COVID19 during his broadcast, but Nigeria must develop its own strategy on how to roll back this virus, and have a COVID19 free Nation.”

The party however urged all Nigerians to keep following the guidelines provided by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), such as washing their hands with soap or alcohol base hand sanitizers, maintaining social distancing, avoiding crowded environment, and keep using face/nose masks to avert the spread.

“We are also calling on the Federal government led by President Buhari, to summon economic management team, to find a way out, on how the economy can recover, because, it will be disastrous if measures are not in place to support public and private businesses, post COVID19 economically, amidst this falling oil price, which Nigeria is largely dependent on for it’s revenue.

“The President agrees with us, as he also have said that Nigerians are loosing their jobs, businesses are collapsing, it should not just stop at his media broadcast, the government must find a way to support those businesses to ensure they are revived, jobs are gained and the nation returns to its feet economically.”

ADP also charged the government to put in concerted effort in order to turn away from oil or rent seeking kind of economy, “Our country is hugely endowed with many natural and human resources, which we can leverage on.

“We need to bring back our industries, in various sectors, such as innovations and technology, textile, Agriculture, production of good, mining, etc and begin to export, instead of importing our basic needs”.

The party concluded by saying that Buhari’s focus should not only be how to contain the virus, but averting the looming economic pandemic, which may cause millions of citizens more pains, if not well handled.