“Adamawa Is the Only Northeast State That Completely Shut Down Her Economy; Despite No Single Case Of Coronavirus” As Civic Groups Condemn Fintiri’s Action; Described It As Barbaric
Secretary to the government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Paradigm Initiative group and centre for leaders evaluation Nigeria have condemned in strong terms the action of governors that illegally close down their state despite zero case of corona virus, Mr. Boss Mustapha was the first to lambast governors that shut their states to the detriment of the poor that work on daily basis to fend for their family, in reaction to governors locking their states especially Adamawa state that locked down the entire state, despite no zero covid 19 case, Mustapha said “As a nation, our response must be guided, systematic and professional. There is a need for consistency across the nation,” he said.
“All inconsistencies in policy guidelines between federal and state agencies will be eliminated. I referred you to paragraph 29 of the president’s broadcast. We are mindful of the fact that there are those inconsistencies in policies. Such states began to implement their lockdown before the president’s broadcast.
“The president’s broadcast was very definitive and categorical; we are only locking down Lagos, Ogun and the federal capital. Those are the only three designated areas for the lockdown now.”
Mustapha said he would get across to security personnel in states where borders have been shut in order to enlighten them on the directive of the president.
Some travellers had been stranded as a result of closure of borders in some states.
“I will make some calls to some security agencies in those borders. I expected that after Mr. President’s broadcast what should ordinarily happen is that, if you had stopped people from getting to their destinations that broadcast should have enabled you release those people to get to their destinations,” he said.
“You can put proactive measures like a toll gate to ensure that you test them and allow them get to their destinations. That was what we did at the airport before we finally locked down the airport.”
Also two civil society organisations made this known in a jointly signed press statement released today.
According to Samson Pwadeno, “The Adamawa state government decision to lock down the entire state is barbaric, callous and insensitive, “this is a government that pride himself to be friend of the masses and the poor, yet they went ahead to lock down the peoples economy, look at Bauchi they only locked their boarders same with Gombe, Taraba, Yobe and Borno.
“it is only Adamawa state that is far backward in everything that decided to punish her citizens by locking down the entire state, even Kaduna that declare curfew has relaxed it now, we are calling on Fintiri to immediately review the lock down as the people are suffering due to his barbaric action of closing people’s business and he and his family are busy enjoying in the comfort of government house.
The groups called on the Adamawa state government to retract the locking down statement and decision by locking all boarders to the state and leave the citizen to go about their normal business to fend for their family.
“The lock down in Adamawa is targeted at the poor people, because it is only the poor that go out on daily basis to feed, the rickshaw(keke napep) and taxi ban is also targeted at the people because the rich people move around the state with their vehicle, allowing the poor masses to trek for a long distance”.
“We also demand that an apology should be made to the people by Fintiri for the gross infringement of the people’s fundamental right to freedom of movement, why we aware that every government is concern about the spread of the virus, however we frown at Fintiri for closing people’s business within the state” they said.