A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-olu Adegboruwa says the easing of COVID-19-induced lockdown proved the government’s inability to sustain the provision of palliative materials to Nigerians.
He added that it further proved the government’s lack of capacity to protect Nigerians from hoodlums during an extended lockdown.
The senior lawyer stated this in a Facebook post on Sunday as the easing of lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and FCT began on Monday, May 4 in line with presidential directive.
Adegboruwa said that despite the pressure on revenue occasioned by the lockdown, Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution tasked the government with the sacred duty of ensuring the welfare and security of Nigerians.
He stressed that this sacred responsibility must never be shirked no matter the situation.
Adegboruwa wrote:
COVID 19: TO YOUR TENTS, O NIGERIANS
On easing of the lockdown, the message that I get from the government is very simple:
“There is no money to continue to provide palliatives for the people.
We don’t have the capacity to provide security for the people from thugs, area boys and criminals during lockdown.
We know COVID 19 is serious but we cannot cope with the challenges posed by the dwindling economy and rising insecurity.
So, we will lift the lockdown and then allow people to go and fend for themselves, protect themselves and also battle it out with COVID 19.
To your tents, O Nigerians!”
This is the message.
But this should not be so. Even though the government may seem overwhelmed with the problems associated with COVID 19, the Constitution has imposed a sacred duty that should not be jettisoned.
Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution provides as follows:
“The SECURITY and WELFARE of the people shall be the PRIMARY purpose of government.” ( Emphasis mine please).
The government cannot abandon the people at this critical time of our national life; indeed, we are all in it together.
Commendations go to all our leaders, the frontline workers and indeed all the donours, for the spirited efforts so far put in to contain the pandemic.
Together, we shall overcome.
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