The Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) Niger chapter has appealed to the state government for more window period during the lockdown to enable its members operate.
Its Chairman, Mr Ayuba Oluobor, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Minna.
“The window period of Tuesday and Friday are not enough for our members to work and earn enough money to meet their family needs.
“It is really telling negatively on us because 97 per cent of our members depend on daily income to feed their families.
“We are appealing to the government to give us more days of free movement to enable us cope with the challenges of the lockdown,” he said.
Oluobor said that the state executive of the association was in contact with the various branches in the 25 Local Government Areas to respect the restriction of movement order.
He assured that members of the association would continue to abide by all government directives and preventive guidelines by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The association’s Chairman also lauded Amasco automobile lubricant company for donating 54 bags of 25 kg rice as palliative to the state chapter of NATA, to cushion the effect of the COVID-19.
He, however, appealed to the state government to do same toward ameliorating the plight of the over 20,000 members of the association in the state.
NAN recalls that Gov. Abubakar Bello, had on March 23, ordered restriction of movement to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Bello, on May 12, further directed the extension of the lockdown of the state by two weeks with Tuesday and Friday allowed as window period to enable residents restock on food.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ibrahim Matane, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) told newsmen on Saturday that the number of COVID-19 patients in the state had risen to 14. (NAN)