The Federal and state governments could have handled COVID-19 response better by making provisions for palliatives for Nigerians subjected to lockdown, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has said.
AYCF President-General, Yerima Shettima stated this on Saturday.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had placed Lagos, Ogun and FCT on lockdown since Monday, March 30 but announced last Monday that the lockdown, which was replicated by many state governments, would be eased commencing from Monday, May 4.
Reacting, Shettima told Daily Post, “The government has not done enough, you can’t keep people without providing an alternative for them.
“You can’t assume to run a house or family without a plan B and if this is how the government of Nigeria is being run then something is wrong from the inception.
“Government should have assumed that there are natural disasters that can happen at any time, why was there no provision for situations like what we are currently facing?
“There was no plan so definitely the government must take responsibility for whatever happens either good or bad.
“They should pass laws that would enable people maintain the social distancing rules as they go about looking for their daily bread but you can’t keep people at home without providing food for them.
“You can’t keep people only when you talk about palliatives in rhetorics.
“So the government must take responsibility for its actions irrespective of whatever the consequences, but I hope it is for good and Nigerians should be very careful as they go about looking for their daily bread.”
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