MONDAY, 13TH APRIL, 2020
1. Fellow Nigerians
2. In my address on Sunday, 29th March, 2020, I
asked the residents of Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Federal Capital
Territory to stay at home for an initial period of fourteen days starting from
Monday, 30th March 2020.
3. Many State Governments also introduced
similar restrictions.
4. As your democratically elected leaders, we
made this very difficult decision knowing fully well it will severely disrupt
your livelihoods and bring undue hardship to you, your loved ones and your
communities.
5. However, such sacrifices are needed to limit
the spread of COVID-19 in our country. They were necessary to save lives.
6. Our objective was, and still remains, to
contain the spread of the Coronavirus and to provide space, time and resources
for an aggressive and collective action.
7. The level of compliance to the COVID-19
guidelines issued has been generally good across the country. I wish to thank
you all most sincerely for the great sacrifice you are making for each other at
this critical time.
8. I will take this opportunity to recognise
the massive support from our traditional rulers, the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA)
during this pandemic.
9. I also acknowledge the support and
contributions received from public spirited individuals, the business community
and our international partners and friends.
10. I must also thank the media houses,
celebrities and other public figures for the great work they are doing in
sensitizing our citizens on hygienic practices, social distancing and issues
associated with social gatherings.
11. As a result of the overwhelming support
and cooperation received, we were able to achieve a lot during these 14 days of
initial lockdown.
12. We implemented comprehensive public
health measures that intensified our case identification, testing, isolation
and contact tracing capabilities.
13. To date, we have identified 92% of all
identified contacts while doubling the number of testing laboratories in the
country and raising our testing capacity to 1,500 tests per day.
14. We also trained over 7,000 Healthcare
workers on infection prevention and control while deploying NCDC teams to 19
states of the federation.
15. Lagos and Abuja today have the capacity
to admit some 1,000 patients each across several treatment centres.
16. Many State Governments have also made
provisions for isolation wards and treatment centres. We will also build
similar centers near our airports and land borders.
17. Using our resources and those provided
through donations, we will adequately equip and man these centres in the coming
weeks. Already, health care workers across all the treatment centers have been
provided with the personal protective equipment that they need to safely carry
out the care they provide.
18. Our hope and prayers are that we do not
have to use all these centres. But we will be ready for all eventualities.
19. At this point, I must recognise the
incredible work being done by our healthcare workers and volunteers across the
country especially in frontline areas of Lagos and Ogun States as well as the
Federal Capital Territory.
20. You are our heroes and as a nation, we
will forever remain grateful for your sacrifice during this very difficult
time. More measures to motivate our health care workers are being introduced
which we will announce in the coming weeks.
21. As a
nation, we are on the right track to win the fight against COVID-19.
22. However, I remain concerned about the
increase in number of confirmed cases and deaths being reported across the
world and in Nigeria specifically.
23. On
30th March 2020, when we started our lockdown in conforming with medical and
scientific advice, the total number of confirmed cases across the world was
over 780,000.
24.
Yesterday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally was over one
million, eight hundred and fifty thousand. This figure is more than double in
two weeks!
25. In
the last fourteen days alone, over 70,000 people have died due to this disease.
26. In
the same period, we have seen the health system of even the most developed
nations being overwhelmed by this virus.
27. Here
in Nigeria, we had 131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 12 States on 30th March
2020. We had two fatalities then.
28. This
morning, Nigeria had 323 confirmed cases in twenty States. Unfortunately we now
have ten fatalities. Lagos State remains the center and accounts for 54% of the
confirmed cases in Nigeria. When combined with the FCT, the two locations
represent over 71% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria.
29. Most
of our efforts will continue to focus in these two locations.
30. Majority
of the confirmed cases in Lagos and the FCT are individuals with recent
international travel history or those that came into contact with returnees
from international trips.
31. By
closing our airports and land borders and putting strict conditions for seaport
activities, we have reduced the impact of external factors on our country.
However, the increase in the number of States with positive cases is alarming.
32. The National Centre for Disease Control
has informed me that, a large proportion of new infections are now occurring in
our communities, through person-to-person contacts. So we must pay attention to
the danger of close contact between person to person.
33. At
this point, I will remind all Nigerians to continue to take responsibility for
the recommended measures to prevent transmission, including maintaining
physical distancing, good personal hygiene and staying at home.
34. In
addition, I have signed the Quarantine Order in this regard and additional
regulations to provide clarity in respect of the control measures for the
COVID-19 pandemic which will be released soon.
35. The
public health response to COVID-19 is built on our ability to detect, test and
admit cases as well as trace all their contacts. While I note some appreciable
progress, we can achieve a lot more.
36.
Today, the cessation of movement, physical distancing measures and the
prohibition of mass gatherings remain the most efficient and effective way of
reducing the transmission of the virus. By sustaining these measures, combined
with extensive testing and contact tracing, we can take control and limit the
spread of the disease.
37. Our
approach to the virus remains in 2 steps - First, to protect the lives of our
fellow Nigerians and residents living here and second, to preserve the
livelihoods of workers and business owners.
38. With
this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the
Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become
necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun
States as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on
Monday, 13th of April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work
with Government in this fight.
39. This
is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina
have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The
famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people.
India, Italy and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the
process of following suit. We can not be lax.
40. The
previously issued guidelines on exempted services shall remain.
41. This is a difficult decision to take,
but I am convinced that this is the right decision. The evidence is clear.
42. The repercussions of any premature end
to the lockdown action are unimaginable.
43. We must not lose the gains achieved thus
far. We must not allow a rapid increase in community transmission. We must
endure a little longer.
44. I will therefore take this opportunity
to urge you all to notify the relevant authorities if you or your loved ones
develop any symptoms. I will also ask our health care professionals to redouble
their efforts to identify all suspected cases, bring them into care and prevent
transmission to others.
45. No
country can afford the full impact of a sustained restriction of movement on
its economy. I am fully aware of the great difficulties experienced especially
by those who earn a daily wage such as traders, dayworkers, artisans and manual
workers.
46. For
this group, their sustenance depends on their ability to go out. Their
livelihoods depend on them mingling with others and about seeking work. But
despite these realities we must not change the restrictions.
47. In
the past two weeks, we announced palliative measures such as food distribution,
cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of our restrictive
policies during this difficult time. These palliatives will be sustained.
48. I
have also directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6
million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks. This means
we will support an additional one million homes with our social investment
programs. A technical committee is working on this and will submit a report to
me by the end of this week.
49. The
Security Agencies have risen to the challenges posed by this unprecedented
situation with gallantry and I commend them. I urge them to continue to
maintain utmost vigilance, firmness as well as restraint in enforcing the
restriction orders while not neglecting statutory security responsibilities.
50. Fellow Nigerians, follow the
instructions on social distancing. The irresponsibility of the few can lead to
the death of the many. Your freedom ends where other people’s rights begin.
51. The
response of our State Governors has been particularly impressive, especially in
aligning their policies and actions to those of the Federal Government.
52. In
the coming weeks, I want to assure you that the Federal Government, through the
Presidential Task Force, will do whatever it takes to support you in this very
difficult period. I have no doubt that, by working together and carefully
following the rules, we shall get over this pandemic.
53. I
must also thank the Legislative arm of Government for all its support and
donations in this very difficult period. This collaboration is critical to the
short and long-term success of all the measures that we have instituted in
response to the pandemic.
54. As a
result of this pandemic, the world as we know it has changed. The way we
interact with each other, conduct our businesses and trade, travel, educate our
children and earn our livelihoods will be different.
55. To
ensure our economy adapts to this new reality, I am directing the Ministers of
Industry, Trade and Investment, Communication and Digital Economy, Science and
Technology, Transportation, Aviation, Interior, Health, Works and Housing,
Labour and Employment and Education to jointly develop a comprehensive policy
for a “Nigerian economy functioning with COVID-19”.
56. The
Ministers will be supported by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and
Economic Sustainability Committee in executing this mandate.
57. I am also directing the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice
Chairman, National Food Security Council and the Chairman, Presidential
Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to
ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized.
58. Finally, I want to thank the members of
the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for all their hard work so far. Indeed,
the patriotism shown in your work is exemplary and highly commendable.
59. Fellow Nigerians, I have no doubt that
by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall get over this
pandemic and emerge stronger in the end.
60. I thank you all for listening and may
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Sources:https://businessday.ng/lead-story/article/full-speech-of-president-muhammadu-buhari/
