Nigerians May Die Of Starvation If COVID-19 Lockdown Is Prolonged – NGO

The Equity International Initiative (EII), a non governmental organisation,  has said that the effect of prolonged lockdown of the nation’s economy might be worse than the Coronavirus disease.

EII Country Director, Chris Iyama, stated this  at a news conference on Saturday in Jos.

Iyama said that many Nigerians would die of starvation if the options to mitigate the spread of  the virus were not reassessed for better alternatives.

The country director stated that  many Nigerians, particularly the less privileged ones, depended on their daily earnings to survive.

“Government should open up the economy for people to do their businesses while observing social distancing, personal hygiene and other economic options,” he said.

He said  the impact of palliatives promised by the government had yet to be  felt in spite of the biting hardship.

Mr Yakubu Bawa, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Jos Branch,   said that in the midst of the circumstances, leaders must ensure that things were done in line with Nigeria constitution.

Bawa said that rights of the people must be protected even in the efforts to curtail the spread of the deadly virus.

The NBA leader stated that constituting mobile courts to try offenders and denying them the right to be represented by a lawyer to hear their side negated the principle of fair hearing.

He urged government at all levels to be transparent and accountable for what was spent during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Bawa, however, said that the pandemic was a challenge for leaders to ensure that a robust and competent healthcare system was put in place.

“This is a time to exhibit leadership and competence to give the nation a direction.

“Our leaders must do something urgently to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic,” he said.

Mr Steve Aluko, Director, Civil Liberties Organisation  (CLO), said that worshippers should be allowed to congregate, observing social distancing.

Aluko observed that if the strategy of prolonged lockdown was not reassessed, it might lead to an increase in the level of crime and criminality in the society.

The director pointed out that apart from what was currently happening in Lagos and Ogun, hunger might lead some people into committing crimes.

He urged the government to put its best in the fight against COVID-19 as the rate of recovery so far was encouraging.