Buhari Not Punishing Nigerians With Executive Order On Compulsory Wearing Of Face Masks – Presidency

The Presidency has said the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government would be left with no option than to impose a second lockdown on the country should citizens continue to violate the Executive Order signed by the President on compulsory wearing of face masks.

The Presidency issued the warning in a statement titled “Nigerians should comply with mandatory mask wearing to avert lockdowns” which was signed by Buhari’s senior media assistant, Garba Shehu, on Sunday.

Shehu said the Federal Government was worried that non-compliance with the Executive Order by residents may worsen the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

THE WHISLTER reported earlier that Buhari had signed the Executive Order titled “Coronavirus Disease Health Protection 2021,” which he said was in line with Section 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.

Shehu said, “Buhari introduced the order with the best of intentions and not with any motive to punish citizens,” adding that, state governments, traditional rulers and religious leaders must play their parts in sensitizing the people on the need to comply with the new directive.

The statement partly reads, “To achieve this, COVID-19 task forces and committees should persuade members of the public to cooperate with the government in achieving compliance and avoid crude methods that may create resistance and resentment, thereby defeating the primary goal of the Executive Order.

“The Buhari administration is most reluctant to lockdown the country and continues to emphasize the non-pharmaceutical measures and the only way to avert lockdowns is to observe these measures as put in place by the Presidential Task Force.

“Nigerians have come a long way from the dreaded lockdown and the administration is unhappy about any prospects of bringing it back as many citizens will not have food on the table without venturing out on a day- to-day business.”

The presidential aide said even though the Federal Government was working on making COVID-19 vaccines available to Nigerians, there was need for members of the public to continue to adhere to recommended safety protocols to avoid weakening the fight against the virus.

He added that, “Nigerians must ignore baseless conspiracy theories that seek to deny the reality of the pandemic by complying with the order to wear masks.

“We have a duty to protect ourselves and others in this difficult global health crisis; no one has immunity against this pandemic. Ignoring health warnings and refusing to comply with safety measures does more harm than good.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is a major threat to public health and wearing of masks, social distancing in public places and the basic hygiene are necessary measures that have to be taken to safeguard the well-being of our citizens.

“Nigerians must always have it in mind that the COVID-19 pandemic is not only a threat to the health of the population but it is equally so to the national economy, and to every aspect of our everyday life.

“Protecting public health is one of the sacred duties of any responsible government and the administration will not abdicate that responsibility,” it said.