CORONAVIRUS: RESIDENTS OF ANAMBRA REACT TO PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Some residents of Anambra State have commended President Muhamadu Buhari for rolling out some measures towards containing the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world. They however called that the speech be immediately translated into action in order to achieve the desired result.
They made the call while reacting to the president’s nationwide broadcast on the COVID-19 pandemic. President Muhamadu Buhari in his nationwide broadcast enumerated some steps to be taken and some economic stimulus mapped out to ensure that the nation was not consumed by the dreaded disease and the attendant effects of the lockdown on the people.
A civil society activist, Prince Chris Azor, while commending the president, said the broadcast would have come earlier before now. Prince Azor harped on the need for government to critically review some of the social investment programmes to benefit the poor masses.
“Some of these programmes like the Trader Moni: does it mean that only the traders are affected by the lockdown, what about civil servants, what about those that that are aged? I think there has to be a review of all the programmes going forward,” Prince Azor lamented.
A Public Affairs analyst, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyia, said though the president’s broadcast captured all concerns already raised by the people, there was the need to consider the plight of the poor masses during this period.
“How can Mr. President be talking of Home School FEEDING Progrmame when the schools are shut down? It means someone somewhere is not telling him the truth, corruption is going on somewhere if that is the case,” Mr. Onyia queried.
Contributing, a Human Rights Activist, Mr. Dede Uzor, remarked that the broadcast did not dwell on sourcing of medical equipment and welfare of the entire citizens, especially those on essential duties. The Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), comrade Jerry Nnubia, noted that all measures rolled out were in order only that it did not take care of the working class, who were asked to stay at home.
For a journalist, Mr. Anthony Okafor, President Buhari would have consulted the government of the three states where he declared lockdown.
“I dont think there is any law that empowers Mr. President to restrict movement in some states without consulting the state house of Assembly and Governor of the state,” Mr. Okafor argued. All the respondents however agreed that with concerted efforts from both the government and the people, Nigerians would contain the Coronavirus Pandemic.
UCHE NDEKE